https://bevfacts.com/learn/index.html Plain-language guides to nutrition facts labels, sugar and diabetes, and the history of food regulation. en https://bevfacts.com/learn/how-to-read-a-nutrition-facts-label.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/how-to-read-a-nutrition-facts-label.html Nutrition Facts Labels A step-by-step guide to reading the Nutrition Facts panel: start with serving size, then calories, then the nutrients to limit and get enough of. https://bevfacts.com/learn/what-is-percent-daily-value.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/what-is-percent-daily-value.html Nutrition Facts Labels The % Daily Value shows how much of each nutrient one serving provides in a day. Learn the 5%-and-20% rule and how the numbers are calculated. https://bevfacts.com/learn/understanding-serving-sizes.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/understanding-serving-sizes.html Nutrition Facts Labels Serving sizes on labels are based on how much people actually eat, not a recommendation. Learn why they matter and how the 2016 update changed them. https://bevfacts.com/learn/added-sugars-on-the-label.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/added-sugars-on-the-label.html Nutrition Facts Labels The 'Includes Xg Added Sugars' line shows sugar put into a product versus sugar that's naturally there. Learn why it was added and how to use it. https://bevfacts.com/learn/the-2016-nutrition-facts-redesign.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/the-2016-nutrition-facts-redesign.html Nutrition Facts Labels In 2016 the FDA overhauled the Nutrition Facts label — bigger calories, added sugars, updated serving sizes, and new nutrients. Here's what changed and why. https://bevfacts.com/learn/calories-on-the-label.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/calories-on-the-label.html Nutrition Facts Labels Calories measure food energy. Learn how they're counted, why the number is now bold on labels, and why calories alone don't tell the whole story. https://bevfacts.com/learn/total-vs-added-sugars.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/total-vs-added-sugars.html Nutrition Facts Labels Total sugars includes natural sugar; added sugars counts only what's put in. Learn to read both lines and why the difference matters for your health. https://bevfacts.com/learn/dietary-fiber-explained.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/dietary-fiber-explained.html Nutrition Facts Labels Fiber is a carbohydrate your body can't digest, and most people don't get enough. Learn what the fiber line means and why a high %DV is good. https://bevfacts.com/learn/sodium-on-nutrition-labels.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/sodium-on-nutrition-labels.html Nutrition Facts Labels Most people eat far more sodium than they need. Learn what the sodium line means, the 2,300 mg Daily Value, and where hidden salt comes from. https://bevfacts.com/learn/total-fat-saturated-trans.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/total-fat-saturated-trans.html Nutrition Facts Labels Not all fat is equal. Learn the difference between total, saturated, and trans fat on the Nutrition Facts label and which to limit. https://bevfacts.com/learn/protein-on-the-label.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/protein-on-the-label.html Nutrition Facts Labels Protein builds and repairs the body. Learn what the protein line means, why it usually has no %DV on food labels, and how much you need. https://bevfacts.com/learn/cholesterol-explained.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/cholesterol-explained.html Nutrition Facts Labels Dietary cholesterol appears on every label with a 300 mg Daily Value. Learn what it is, how it differs from blood cholesterol, and why guidance has shifted. https://bevfacts.com/learn/vitamins-and-minerals-dv.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/vitamins-and-minerals-dv.html Nutrition Facts Labels The label lists vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium. Learn why these four are required, what changed in 2016, and how to read their %DV. https://bevfacts.com/learn/dual-column-labels.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/dual-column-labels.html Nutrition Facts Labels Some packages show nutrition 'per serving' and 'per package' side by side. Learn what dual-column labels are and the loophole they close. https://bevfacts.com/learn/nutrition-labels-for-drinks.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/nutrition-labels-for-drinks.html Nutrition Facts Labels Beverages are the biggest source of added sugar in the American diet. Learn what to check first on a drink label — and why custom drinks often have none. https://bevfacts.com/learn/caffeine-and-labels.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/caffeine-and-labels.html Nutrition Facts Labels Caffeine content is not required on most nutrition labels. Learn where it must appear, safe daily limits, and how much is in common drinks. https://bevfacts.com/learn/net-carbs-vs-total-carbs.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/net-carbs-vs-total-carbs.html Nutrition Facts Labels 'Net carbs' isn't an official label term. Learn how it's calculated from total carbs, fiber, and sugar alcohols — and why it's not FDA-regulated. https://bevfacts.com/learn/rounding-rules-on-labels.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/rounding-rules-on-labels.html Nutrition Facts Labels The FDA requires nutrition values to be rounded. Learn the rounding rules that explain '0g' fats that aren't quite zero and calories in fives and tens. https://bevfacts.com/learn/serving-size-vs-portion.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/serving-size-vs-portion.html Nutrition Facts Labels A serving size is a standardized label reference; a portion is how much you actually eat. Learn why the two often differ and how to bridge the gap. https://bevfacts.com/learn/how-much-sugar-per-day.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/how-much-sugar-per-day.html Sugar & Diabetes The FDA sets a 50-gram Daily Value for added sugars, and the American Heart Association recommends even less. Here's how much added sugar is too much. https://bevfacts.com/learn/added-vs-natural-sugars.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/added-vs-natural-sugars.html Sugar & Diabetes The sugar in an apple and the sugar in a soda are chemically similar but nutritionally different. Learn why added sugars are the ones to limit. https://bevfacts.com/learn/sugar-in-coffee-drinks.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/sugar-in-coffee-drinks.html Sugar & Diabetes Plain coffee has no sugar, but flavored lattes and blended drinks can pack 40–70 grams. Learn where the sugar comes from and how to cut it. https://bevfacts.com/learn/sugar-in-boba-tea.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/sugar-in-boba-tea.html Sugar & Diabetes Bubble tea can be one of the sweetest drinks around. Learn how sweetness levels, tapioca pearls, and toppings drive boba's sugar content. https://bevfacts.com/learn/sugar-in-soda.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/sugar-in-soda.html Sugar & Diabetes A single can of soda can contain nearly a full day's added sugar. Learn how much sugar is in soda and why liquid sugar is uniquely easy to over-consume. https://bevfacts.com/learn/what-is-a-gram-of-sugar.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/what-is-a-gram-of-sugar.html Sugar & Diabetes Grams of sugar are hard to picture. Learn the simple conversions — teaspoons, sugar cubes, and calories — that make label numbers real. https://bevfacts.com/learn/sugar-and-type-2-diabetes.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/sugar-and-type-2-diabetes.html Sugar & Diabetes The link between sugar and type 2 diabetes is real but often oversimplified. Learn how sugary drinks, weight, and insulin resistance actually connect. https://bevfacts.com/learn/what-is-blood-sugar.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/what-is-blood-sugar.html Sugar & Diabetes Blood sugar is the glucose circulating in your bloodstream for energy. Learn how it rises and falls, what insulin does, and why spikes matter. https://bevfacts.com/learn/glycemic-index-explained.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/glycemic-index-explained.html Sugar & Diabetes The glycemic index ranks how fast foods raise blood sugar. Learn what high- and low-GI mean, the difference from glycemic load, and its limits. https://bevfacts.com/learn/other-names-for-sugar.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/other-names-for-sugar.html Sugar & Diabetes Sugar hides under dozens of names in ingredient lists. Learn the most common aliases — from cane juice to maltose — so you can spot added sugar. https://bevfacts.com/learn/hidden-sugars-in-drinks.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/hidden-sugars-in-drinks.html Sugar & Diabetes Smoothies, vitamin waters, sports drinks, and iced teas can carry as much sugar as soda. Learn where sugar hides in drinks marketed as healthy. https://bevfacts.com/learn/sugar-sweetened-beverages-health.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/sugar-sweetened-beverages-health.html Sugar & Diabetes Sugary drinks are the largest source of added sugar in the U.S. diet and are linked to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Here's why they stand out. https://bevfacts.com/learn/artificial-sweeteners-overview.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/artificial-sweeteners-overview.html Sugar & Diabetes Aspartame, sucralose, stevia, and more promise sweetness without sugar. Learn how artificial and non-nutritive sweeteners work and what research says. https://bevfacts.com/learn/sugar-alcohols-explained.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/sugar-alcohols-explained.html Sugar & Diabetes Sugar alcohols sweeten 'sugar-free' foods with fewer calories and less blood-sugar impact. Learn how erythritol, xylitol, and sorbitol work. https://bevfacts.com/learn/high-fructose-corn-syrup.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/high-fructose-corn-syrup.html Sugar & Diabetes High-fructose corn syrup is a common liquid sweetener made from corn. Learn how it differs from table sugar and whether it's actually worse. https://bevfacts.com/learn/prediabetes-basics.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/prediabetes-basics.html Sugar & Diabetes Prediabetes means blood sugar is higher than normal but not yet diabetes. Learn what it is, how common it is, and why it's often reversible. https://bevfacts.com/learn/diabetes-and-drinks.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/diabetes-and-drinks.html Sugar & Diabetes For people managing blood sugar, drink choice matters. Learn which beverages spike blood sugar and which are steadier, low-sugar options. https://bevfacts.com/learn/kids-and-sugar.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/kids-and-sugar.html Sugar & Diabetes Children consume far more added sugar than recommended, much of it from drinks. Learn the guidelines for kids' sugar and how to cut back. https://bevfacts.com/learn/sugar-and-weight.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/sugar-and-weight.html Sugar & Diabetes Added sugar, especially from drinks, contributes to weight gain through excess calories that don't fill you up. Here's how the connection works. https://bevfacts.com/learn/reading-labels-for-diabetes.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/reading-labels-for-diabetes.html Sugar & Diabetes For people with diabetes, total carbohydrate matters most on the label. Learn which lines to prioritize and how fiber and added sugars fit in. https://bevfacts.com/learn/fruit-juice-vs-whole-fruit.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/fruit-juice-vs-whole-fruit.html Sugar & Diabetes Whole fruit and fruit juice contain similar sugar, but the body handles them very differently. Learn why fiber makes whole fruit the better choice. https://bevfacts.com/learn/who-sugar-recommendations.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/who-sugar-recommendations.html Sugar & Diabetes The World Health Organization recommends keeping free sugars under 10% of daily calories, with benefits below 5%. Here's what that means in grams. https://bevfacts.com/learn/history-of-the-fda.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/history-of-the-fda.html Food Regulation History The U.S. Food and Drug Administration grew from a single chemist's crusade into the agency that regulates food and drugs. Here's how it began. https://bevfacts.com/learn/pure-food-and-drug-act-1906.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/pure-food-and-drug-act-1906.html Food Regulation History The 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act was America's first major food-safety law. Learn what it banned, what drove it, and why it launched federal food regulation. https://bevfacts.com/learn/the-jungle-upton-sinclair.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/the-jungle-upton-sinclair.html Food Regulation History Upton Sinclair's 1906 novel The Jungle exposed the meatpacking industry and helped pass America's first food-safety laws. Here's the story. https://bevfacts.com/learn/history-of-the-usda.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/history-of-the-usda.html Food Regulation History The U.S. Department of Agriculture was founded by Abraham Lincoln in 1862. Learn how the 'People's Department' shaped American food and nutrition. https://bevfacts.com/learn/fda-vs-usda-who-regulates-what.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/fda-vs-usda-who-regulates-what.html Food Regulation History Two federal agencies split responsibility for U.S. food. Learn the surprisingly specific line between what the FDA regulates and what the USDA does. https://bevfacts.com/learn/history-of-the-nutrition-facts-label.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/history-of-the-nutrition-facts-label.html Food Regulation History The Nutrition Facts label debuted in the 1990s after the NLEA of 1990. Learn how mandatory nutrition labeling came to be and how it evolved. https://bevfacts.com/learn/food-labeling-before-1990.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/food-labeling-before-1990.html Food Regulation History Before mandatory nutrition labeling, food packages were inconsistent and often silent on nutrition. Here's what labeling looked like before the 1990 law. https://bevfacts.com/learn/daily-value-history.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/daily-value-history.html Food Regulation History The % Daily Values on labels are built on decades of nutrition science, from RDAs to today's DVs. Here's the history behind those percentages. https://bevfacts.com/learn/dietary-guidelines-history.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/dietary-guidelines-history.html Food Regulation History Since 1980, the U.S. government has issued dietary advice every five years. Learn how the Dietary Guidelines evolved — including on sugar. https://bevfacts.com/learn/food-pyramid-to-myplate.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/food-pyramid-to-myplate.html Food Regulation History The USDA's food icons evolved from the 1992 Food Guide Pyramid to MyPyramid to today's MyPlate. Here's the story of how America pictured a balanced diet. https://bevfacts.com/learn/menu-labeling-law-aca.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/menu-labeling-law-aca.html Food Regulation History Calorie counts on chain menus come from a provision of the 2010 Affordable Care Act. Learn how menu labeling became law and what it covers. https://bevfacts.com/learn/delaney-clause-food-additives.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/delaney-clause-food-additives.html Food Regulation History The 1958 Delaney Clause banned any food additive shown to cause cancer. Learn what it did, why it was controversial, and how it shaped food safety. https://bevfacts.com/learn/gras-generally-recognized-as-safe.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/gras-generally-recognized-as-safe.html Food Regulation History GRAS is an FDA category for food ingredients considered safe by experts. Learn what it means, where it came from, and why it's debated. https://bevfacts.com/learn/history-of-added-sugar-labeling.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/history-of-added-sugar-labeling.html Food Regulation History Adding an 'added sugars' line to the nutrition label took years of debate. Learn how the change happened and why the food industry resisted it. https://bevfacts.com/learn/nutrition-labeling-around-the-world.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/nutrition-labeling-around-the-world.html Food Regulation History From the UK's traffic lights to Chile's black warning labels, countries take different approaches to nutrition labeling. Here's a global tour. https://bevfacts.com/learn/saccharin-sweetener-history.html https://bevfacts.com/learn/saccharin-sweetener-history.html Food Regulation History Saccharin, the first artificial sweetener, was discovered by accident in 1879 — and later nearly banned. Here's its surprising story.