You may not be seeing these labels on food products much longer. The Smart Choices labeling program has been voluntarily halted after the FDA said it could be misleading.

The labels are supposed to make it easier for us to spot healthier foods, but the green check mark has been showing up on the front of boxes of sugar-laden cereals like Cocoa Krispies and Froot Loops. Last week, the FDA sent out a letter to food makers, saying it will crack down on those that go against federal labeling rules.

Smart Choices is among several nutrition labeling programs now being used, all with different nutritional criteria.

No wonder there’s so much confusion out there!

Related posts

• FDA cracks down on food label claims
• New nutrition labels praise sugary cereals – What???
• Some children’s cereals are more than half sugar
• Would you eat cloned food?
• News Nugget: U.S. opens food safety office in China after recent scares

About a year ago, I told you about these new Smart Choices nutrition labels designed to make it easier for us to spot healthier foods. Now, I’m starting to think they’re a bad idea. The green check mark has been showing up on hundreds of packages of foods including sugar-laden cereals like Cocoa Krispies and Froot Loops!

In my opinion, this really takes away from the credibility of the new system and sends out an unhealthy message. The program defends the products it endorses, including sweet cereals, saying Froot Loops are “better than other things parents could choose for their children.” Seriously?

Check out the ingredient list. The first thing listed is SUGAR. How can that possibly be a smart choice? Especially with the recent recommendations from the American Heart Association saying Americans need to cut WAY back on sugar.

Before it can be considered for the Smart Choices program, every product must meet criteria for nutrients to limit, based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. For added sugars, that’s a maximum of 25 percent of total calories. So, does this really make Froot Loops and other sugary cereals a “smart choice”… or just another marketing gimmick?

Related posts

• Food labeling program halted after concerns from FDA
• News Nugget: Kids’ cereals have 85% more sugar than adults’
• News Nugget: Kellogg to add fiber to kid cereals
• News Nugget: General Mills cutting sugar in kids’ cereals
• FDA cracks down on food label claims

By the end of 2010, about 80 percent of Kellogg cereals, including kid favorites like Froot Loops and Apple Jacks, will have at least three grams of fiber per serving, according to an article in USA Today. Of course, fiber is good for us and many Americans don’t get nearly enough. But critics say adding fiber alone won’t make a product healthier. I say, read the label on the back to know all the ingredients you’re getting.

What do you think?

Related posts

• News Nugget: Kids’ cereals have 85% more sugar than adults’
• News Nugget: General Mills cutting sugar in kids’ cereals
• New nutrition labels praise sugary cereals – What???
• Whole wheat versus whole grain foods – Which is better?
• What’s better than Kashi coupons? Free Kashi granola!