Critique of New FDA Product Nutrition Labels

While the new Food and Drug Administration food product label with larger print proves easier to read, critics suggest that the new label puts an emphasis on the wrong dietary factors – calories and saturated fat. The long-held theory of weight loss through caloric reduction hasn’t proven valid, for instance, and actually violates the second law of thermodynamics. Likewise, research has repeatedly failed to show a link between saturated fat and heart disease, which was a firmly entrenched belief within the medical community for many years. The analysis below sheds light on why these areas of focus miss the mark.

An article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association theorizes that instead of overeating leading to obesity, gaining weight itself might actually cause overeating. Researchers from Harvard explain that when calories are locked inside of fat tissue, fewer circulate through the body to provide energy. Consequently, people eat more to obtain the calories they need. The researchers postulate that this accounts for why calorie-reducing diets seem to increase hunger.

Rather than obesity stemming from the consumption of diets high in calories and fat, the real cause may be diets high in sugar and processed carbohydrates, such as white bread, white rice, crackers, cookies and cakes, because these foods stimulate the release of the fat storage hormone, insulin. This theory finds support in a study published in the journal Lancet. Researchers found that rats fed very-insulin-stimulating diets gained more weight than rats that consumed diets higher in calories but comprised of complex carbohydrates. In other words, not all calories are alike. To learn more about the harmful effects of sugar, see Can Reducing Sugar and Starch Improve Health Outcomes for Diabetics?

The solution to weight control may lie in adopting an eating plan similar to the Mediterranean diet, which studies associate with lower rater of obesity. This diet involves eating complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and proteins and vegetables, while avoiding refined, processed products. Research shows the consumption of these nutritious foods promotes overall wellness, including weight management.