Helpful Impact of the FDA’s Calorie-Labeling Rules for Restaurants and Other Food Outlets
Dining out has become a major part of any culture, more so now after more than year of not being able to eat in our favorite restaurants due to the pandemic. Even those who are into watching calories no longer have qualms about eating out or grabbing a bite from a popular fast food chain. After all, local health departments are vigilant in checking compliance with the Food and Drug Administration’s rules about properly labeling menus and menu boards with calories information for every menu item.
Today, consumers can confidently place orders without worrying on how many calories they will be adding if they order this or that dish. The FDA’s calorie labeling rules are enforced nationwide, not only in restaurants but also in fast food chains, supermarkets, convenience stores and even kiosks.
The Rationale Behind the Calorie Labeling Rule Imposed by the FDA
Implementation of the ruling began in 2018, as the country’s obesity crisis had already reached an alarming level. Statistically, it has been reported that about 70% of U.S. consumers are obese or overweight. Not to forget to mention that ordering meals from home has turned into a popular lifestyle; especially in households where preparing home cooked meals is only possible during weekends.
The U.S. FDA wanted to raise everyone’s awareness about the amount of calories that food items will add to their body, before deciding on a particular dish or snack.
According to Dr. Joseph Galati, a hepatologist who specializes in liver diseases at the Texas International Endoscopy Center, bad food choices and eating in large quantities as well as excessive snacking are the root causes of obesity. He added, that most American consumers find it hard to change their food choices if in the first place, they do not know what they’re eating.
Food nutrition experts laud the FDA’s calorie labeling rules, since it seems only those who have higher levels of education are better informed when it comes to accounting for calories before choosing a menu item. The experts view the new rules as extremely helpful as consumers are provided with resources that will enable them to make lower-calorie choices.
Dr. Allison Childress, a licensed dietitian, who is also an assistant nutrition professor at Texas Tech University remarked not a few people were shocked when they learned that soups and salads that they thought had lower calories have just as many or even more calories than the menu items they perceived as unhealthy choices.
Weight-Watchers and Dieters Now Find Calorie Counting a Less Tedious Task
Many who take fat burner supplements now find it easier to make weight loss regimens work, as the calorie resource information provided by different food establishments and outlets have provided extra help. Whereas before, many doubted the efficiency of fat burners — prompting them to ask “Do thermogenic weight loss pills works?”
Although most fat burner formulations include ingredients that have been scientifically proven as heat-providing substance that help in calorie burning, the recommended dosage can only do so much. Weight watchers and those trying to lose extra weight, still have to combine proper nutrition and regular exercise, even as they take fat burners with thermogenic components.
