Friday, February 11, 2011

Misleading Label Claim #5


The USDA recommends limiting added sugar consumption to 10 teaspoons (40g) per day (based on a 2,000 calorie diet), about the amount in a 12oz can of Coca-Cola. Unfortunately, added sugars & their daily value are not disclosed on the Nutrition Facts Panel, making it very difficult to determine the amount of sugar that has been added to products like yogurt, canned fruit, & juice drinks. Additionally, while the FDA regulates claims like “sugar free,” “reduced” and “no added sugars,” there is no such measure governing “low sugar.” Companies can label their highly sugared foods as “Fat Free” without having to direct the consu...mer to check the sugar content. Companies have begun using their own terms, like “lightly sweetened,” which may convey to shoppers that the product is low in sugar, despite the term not being regulated by any federal rules. An example is Kellogg’s Frosted Mini-Wheats that, despite being “lightly sweetened,” contain 20% sugar by weight (12g per serving).

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