Makeover coming for food nutrition labels - by order of the Fed govt

[Little-Acorn]

I only quoted part of the article.

I apparently left out the part that details where the Federal government got the authority to do this.

But I'm sure the erstwhile readers of this forum will point it out, any time now.

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https://www.yahoo.com/news/makeover-...-politics.html

Makeover coming for food nutrition labels

May 20, 2016

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nutrition facts labels on food packages are getting a long-awaited makeover, with calories listed in bigger, bolder type and a new line for added sugars.

And serving sizes will be updated to make them more realistic — so that a small bag of chips won't count as two or three servings, for example.

First lady Michelle Obama is expected to announce final rules for new labels in a speech Friday morning as part of her "Let's Move!" campaign to combat childhood obesity. The changes were proposed by the Food and Drug Administration two years ago and are the first major update of the labels since their creation in 1994. They are now found on more than 800,000 foods.

"This is going to make a real difference in providing families across the country the information they need to make healthy choices," the first lady said in a statement.

[CSM]

Hmmmm... if folks got off their fat asses and got a bit more exercise (especially kids) maybe they wouldn't be "obese". I am no saint when it comes to eating healthy and all that but I do get in some exercise as part of my daily routine....I don't need the government to tell me that eating half a dozen donuts then taking a nap every day will make me fat. On the other hand, I suppose it keeps the current first lady busy and out of other business...

[Gunny]

Good thing the Fed gov't has everything under control.

[Elessar]

I am not really sure that this is such a terrible thing to do.

I watch my intakes of things and the labeling on packages helps.

High cholesterol runs in my family, so I will look before purchasing.
Plus, some preservatives give me headaches. I avoid them and
appreciate the packaging identifying them.

[Gunny]

I am not really sure that this is such a terrible thing to do.

I watch my intakes of things and the labeling on packages helps.

High cholesterol runs in my family, so I will look before purchasing.
Plus, some preservatives give me headaches. I avoid them and
appreciate the packaging identifying them.

Nope. You look up the food values on at least two different sources. A glycemic index is a good place to start. Basically whole, simple foods work. Anything in a package or a can does not. The FDA is also PC. They pimp chicken and pork and say red meat is bad. When I was a kid bread was fattening and potatoes were fattening. Now they're healthy.

I ain't listening to the FDA. I look the crap up on my own. I was an athlete for years. I was WAY up to snuff.

What I don't get are people that worship food. It's fuel to me. I don't eat sweets. I eat some trash because it's convenient.

[Elessar]

Nope. You look up the food values on at least two different sources. A glycemic index is a good place to start. Basically whole, simple foods work. Anything in a package or a can does not. The FDA is also PC. They pimp chicken and pork and say red meat is bad. When I was a kid bread was fattening and potatoes were fattening. Now they're healthy.

I ain't listening to the FDA. I look the crap up on my own. I was an athlete for years. I was WAY up to snuff.

What I don't get are people that worship food. It's fuel to me. I don't eat sweets. I eat some trash because it's convenient.

Ohhh...I do not disagree at all.

But some can be helpful. I crave some things at times, but I will
look at the labels carefully. If it shows artificial preservatives,
I drop it and look and something else. MSG gives me headaches.

If I crave a hot dog, I go for all beef with no MSG, as an example

[Drummond]

As I see it, it's the psychology involved.

Set precedents for overweaning control, no matter how 'reasonable' the basis ... and you'll get creeping control over your lives in other ways. Once the process starts in earnest, who's going to see to it that it stops ?

This is part of the perniciousness of Socialism, folks.

[Little-Acorn]

I am not really sure that this is such a terrible thing to do.

Information like food labeling is useful.

But my comment wasn't about its usefulness. It was about a Federal government that was forbidden to do certain things (actually a lot of things) by its founding document... and regularly ignores those bans and happily oversteps its power regularly.

The food-labeling thing is a trivial example, but it is still an example.

But a government that usurps small, minor powers, will inevitably start to usurp non-trivial amounts of power... and will slide slowly toward tyranny.

And people who judge it solely on the basis that what it's doing is "useful", are helping it in that slide.

[Kathianne]

Information like food labeling is useful.

But my comment wasn't about its usefulness. It was about a Federal government that was forbidden to do certain things (actually a lot of things) by its founding document... and regularly ignores those bans and happily oversteps its power regularly.

The food-labeling thing is a trivial example, but it is still an example.

But a government that usurps small, minor powers, will inevitably start to usurp non-trivial amounts of power... and will slide slowly toward tyranny.

And people who judge it solely on the basis that what it's doing is "useful", are helping it in that slide.

Many agree that mandatory seat belts being forced on automakers was the beginning. While I wouldn't dream of riding in a car without wearing or allow anyone else to not wear theirs in my car, really don't want the government being the enforcer. Darwinism really deserves its chance and all.

[Gunny]

Many agree that mandatory seat belts being forced on automakers was the beginning. While I wouldn't dream of riding in a car without wearing or allow anyone else to not wear theirs in my car, really don't want the government being the enforcer. Darwinism really deserves its chance and all.

Crap. I didn't even know where the seatbelt was in my father's old gunboats.

[Noir]

So given the government shouldn't be doing this, who does have the 'power' to make something like this happen?

[CSM]

So given the government shouldn't be doing this, who does have the 'power' to make something like this happen?

How about the individual themselves? We don't but any mechanical devices on vehicles (well, civilians don't) to ensure they cannot travel faster than posted speed limits, so it is up to the individual to maintain a safe speed for the conditions, for example. We don't fence off every body of water to prevent drowning; it is up to the individual to either learn to swim or stay the heck out of the water. Yeah, I know.....common sense. Kathy is right...give Darwin a chance!

[Noir]

How about the individual themselves? We don't but any mechanical devices on vehicles (well, civilians don't) to ensure they cannot travel faster than posted speed limits, so it is up to the individual to maintain a safe speed for the conditions, for example. We don't fence off every body of water to prevent drowning; it is up to the individual to either learn to swim or stay the heck out of the water. Yeah, I know.....common sense. Kathy is right...give Darwin a chance!

A speed limit is a fixed value.
I could give you 5 different packets of plain white bread, all with different sugar contents, without labling how are you meant to make and informed choice?

[CSM]

A speed limit is a fixed value.
I could give you 5 different packets of plain white bread, all with different sugar contents, without labling how are you meant to make and informed choice?

Don't eat white bread....

We all know we can set up all the strawman, hypothetical situations you (generic "you) can think up. IMO, it still boils down to individual responsibility.
By the way, I don't know about where you drive but where I live, sped limits vary; 15 mph in a school zone, 30mph in residential areas, 55 mph on most highways with some at 65. I suppose that we could mechanically regulate vehicles to 15 mph since that is the lowest and safest speed.

I am not against the government labelling foods; I am against them regulating what we eat ala NY where they are going to tell folks they cannot buy or consume a 16 oz soda ..... however, once you start labelling foods (and the tack record for the US government agencies getting that right is poor at best) then they start trying to regulate it too.

[Noir]

Don't eat white bread....

Pick a food you do eat and the same scenario applies. In order to make an informed choice there must be information.

We all know we can set up all the strawman, hypothetical situations you (generic "you) can think up. IMO, it still boils down to individual responsibility.
By the way, I don't know about where you drive but where I live, sped limits vary; 15 mph in a school zone, 30mph in residential areas, 55 mph on most highways with some at 65. I suppose that we could mechanically regulate vehicles to 15 mph since that is the lowest and safest speed.

'We can all set up strawmen...regulate vehicles to go 15mph'

I am not against the government labelling foods; I am against them regulating what we eat ala NY where they are going to tell folks they cannot buy or consume a 16 oz soda ..... however, once you start labelling foods (and the tack record for the US government agencies getting that right is poor at best) then they start trying to regulate it too.

Support the good componants, don't support the bad.