A Smarter, Simpler Label

I'm a fan of any reputable label that makes it easier for me to make wise, nutritious food choices. The Smart Choices Program aims to make this possible. These simple labels-which only contain the Smart Choices symbol and serving and calorie information-will begin appearing in mid-2009 and will be featured on 18 food categories, such as beverages, cereals, meats, dairy and snacks. The products have passed extensive criteria that evaluated whether the food is healthful enough to carry the Smart Choices symbol. This criteria, based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, as well as FDA standards and reports from the Institute of Medicine and other groups, is used to evaluate the level of good-for-you nutrients and ingredients in the food (such as calcium, fiber and key vitamins and minerals) as well as limiting the allowable amount of bad-for-you ingredients (such as saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, added sugars and sodium). Companies that have already expressed interest in the program are Coca-Cola (U.S.), ConAgra Foods and General Mills. For more information, visit smartchoicesprogram.com.-Denise Shoukas

Denise Shoukas is a regular foodspring.com contributor and is the author of foodspring’s food forager blog.