Smart Choice Food Labels — Why?

An article hit the news recently about ‘Smart Choice’ food labels.  Intrigued, I decided to look into this new food nutrition label.  Apparently, the Keystone Group has taken it upon themselves to develop this new food nutrition label, which isn’t mandatory, so food companies can choose to participate.  Foods that fall within certain nutritional guidelines will get access to specific labels that indicate they are healthier choices than their non-label-ridden cousins.  Some of the companies that have shown interest include Coca-Cola, General Mills, Wal-Mart, and Kraft.  There are many others as well.  I guess that means this program has gained some traction, and according to the press release we can expect to this rolled out in mid-2009.

I have to wonder if they’ll start putting these labels on apples, bananas, and cantaloupe?  How about broccoli, pinto beans, and skim milk?  Somehow I doubt it.  We’ll probably see kid’s cereal boxes screaming their nutritional virtues, and candy-bar wrappers touting their health benefits, while the tried-and-true staples of healthy eating sit idly on the sidelines, quietly leaching their nutrients away.  Organic foods, fruits and vegetables will get no recognition.

What Does This New Food Nutrition Label Bring To The Party Anyway?

The whole concept of “better labeling” just bugs me.  The nutritional content of any food is right there on the package.  The problem is that many consumers just don’t care.  Most of us know that we should eat more fruits and vegetables.  We all understand that saturated fat and trans fats are bad.  The truth is that we just choose to eat those things.  Slapping a label on the box may be a great marketing gimmick, but it won’t really make people more health conscious.  In fact, it may give people the false sense of security.  I’ve known many people that say because they eat a “low fat” diet, it must be healthy.  That statement is disingenuous at best.

Consumers don’t need better labels from food manufacturers.  We need to make better choices about what we eat.

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