Understanding new nutrition labels: Stop eating blindly now

Author: Li Zhaoqi. Reviewer: Yu Shiliang. Curator: Ye Jiayu. Production/Organizational Information: Chongqing Luhai Media Co., Ltd. Computer Newspaper Publishing Branch. Title: Understanding new nutrition labels: Stop eating blindly now. Introduction: New nutrition label standards take effect in 2027, enhancing transparency and helping consumers identify ingredients. Keywords: ['Saturated fat', 'Nutrition label', 'Sugar'].

The promotional slogans on packaging such as "low fat," "high protein," and "sugar-free" can be overwhelming. To truly understand the nutritional truth of a food product, the key lies in the often-overlooked nutrition facts label. As the "nutritional ID" of prepackaged foods, nutritional labels provide core nutritional information based on mandatory national standards, ensuring an accurate reflection of what is present: "what's labeled is what's there." With the release of the "National Standard for Food Safety: General Rules for Nutrition Labeling of Prepackaged Foods" (GB28050-2025), referred to as the "new standard," the information provided by this "nutrition ID" will become more comprehensive and standardized, aiding our ability to make healthier choices. The new standards for nutrition labels have added "sugars" and "saturated fats."

Source: National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China. Pre-packaged food refers to food packaged in predetermined quantities with complete and standardized labeling, including net content, manufacturer information, shelf life, ingredients list, and nutrition facts. Items such as a bottle of milk, a bag of frozen dumplings, a box of cookies, a pack of potato chips, a bottle of water, or a bottle of wine fall into this category. The new standard enhances mandatory labeling by including saturated fat (or saturated fatty acids) and sugars to the existing mandatory labeling of "1+4" core nutrients (energy, protein, fat, carbohydrates, and sodium), forming a "1+6" mandatory labeling system. This new standard will officially take effect on March 16, 2027, encouraging early implementation by companies.

Why are "saturated fats" and "sugar" labeled separately? Saturated fats are primarily derived from animal products such as pork, beef, lamb, fried foods, cream, butter, processed meats, and pastries. Compared to trans fats, which are entirely "bad fats," saturated fats are considered "neutral fats." They can provide the body with essential energy, maintain normal physiological functions, and promote the development of the nervous system. However, excessive intake may lead to abnormal blood lipid levels and cardiovascular diseases. When consumed, saturated fats are converted into triglycerides and stored in fat tissue. Prolonged excessive intake can increase low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the blood, leading to atherosclerotic plaques and contributing to coronary heart disease and other cardiovascular issues, as well as inducing obesity, hypertension, and raising the risk of diabetes.

The "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022)" recommend that the intake of saturated fatty acids should be less than 10% of total daily energy intake. In the past, saturated fats were often "hidden," making it hard for consumers to identify them. With the implementation of the new standards, we will be able to avoid snacks and processed foods high in saturated fats more easily. Sugar, according to the national recommended standard "Basic Terms for Food Nutrition Components" (GB/Z 21922-2008), is defined along with carbohydrates, and includes sugars, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides, which are essential nutrients providing energy. Sugar refers to all monosaccharides and disaccharides, like glucose and sucrose.

The definition states that carbohydrates encompass sugars, which raises the question of how much "added sugars" (such as white sugar, brown sugar, and sugars added in fruit juice) there are, an issue the new standards address. The rapid absorption of added sugars not only contributes empty calories and increases the risk of obesity but also is a significant cause of dental cavities and fluctuations in blood sugar levels in children. The new standards require labeling of total sugar content, facilitating our identification of beverages, pastries, and snacks high in sugar, thus providing a stronger basis for managing consumption. In simple terms, by 2027, any packaged food must clearly indicate on the nutrition label:

Sugar: XX grams. Saturated fat: XX grams. In terms of comparing new and old standards, the new standard also incorporates additional significant upgrades. Besides the core nutrients, it features thoughtful improvements: 1. Reference value for serving size. The new standard mandates that when nutrition labels indicate "serving size," the recommended reference weight or volume for each serving must be stated, addressing issues of unclear serving sizes from companies that made it hard for consumers to compare items. Often, the unit of "per serving" is overlooked. For instance, if a beverage states "50 milliliters per serving, 20 kilocalories," misinterpreting it as a per 100-milliliter basis would lead to underestimating actual caloric intake. 2. Standard Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs). Typically, the nutrition label has three columns, with the last showing the Nutrient Reference Values (NRV%). NRV indicates the daily requirement of a nutrient, while NRV% shows the percentage of the daily recommended intake that one serving of the food contributes regarding energy and nutrients.

For example, if the NRV for saturated fat is 20g, and a particular snack has 6g of saturated fat per serving, this column will indicate 30% (6 ÷ 20 × 100%). Thus, consuming a single serving of this snack equates to 30% of the daily allowance for saturated fat. When interpreting information from a nutrition facts label at the supermarket in the future, spending a few extra seconds to understand this upgraded "nutrition ID" will be beneficial. Making informed choices gives us the power to decide whether to enjoy half, or finish it entirely and then exercise to burn those calories. The decision rests entirely with us.

References: National Standards for Food Safety: General Rules for Labels of Prepackaged Foods, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China; State Administration for Market Regulation, September 25, 2025. Li Zhaoqi. Issues such as "missing" food dates and difficulties in calculation will be resolved. [N] Nanning Evening News, April 14, 2025 (005). Contributing unit: Chongqing Luhai Media Co., Ltd. Computer Newspaper Publishing Branch. Editor: Ye Jiayu. Editors: Chen Xin, Yang Jianhua. Review Expert: Yu Shiliang. Disclaimer: Except for original content and special notes, the text and images sourced from forwarded articles are from the internet and major mainstream media. Copyright belongs to the original authors. If you believe any content infringes on your rights, please contact us for removal.