Canada sets a "Gold Standard" for Nutritional Labelling As of December 12, 2005, all large food manufacturers must conform to the world's most detailed food labelling system. Small manufacturers are given until the end of 2007. Under the new rules, pre-packaged food and drink must bear a Nutrition Facts Box listing the calorie count and 13 ingredients deemed important by health professionals. It is the best model in the world marketplace. Most notable is that Canada is the first country to include mandatory labelling of trans fat. "Trans fats raise LDL or "bad" cholesterol, lower HDL or "good" cholesterol in the body and increase the risk of heart disease," states Brenda Furman, Registered Nutritionist for the City of Pickering. "In fact, a 1994 Harvard School of Public Health study estimates 30,000 premature coronary heart disease deaths annually can be attributed to trans fat. We simply cannot keep our heads in the sand any longer on this issue" continues Furman. "Now, with our new labelling laws, we can be informed consumers" she concludes. The new rules restrict manufacturers to only advertise diet-related health claims that are backed by scientific evidence. Manufacturers will no longer be able to boast about their product being low carb or no carb, since there is no scientific evidence that carbohydrates pose any sort of a dietary risk. A label can make statements such as:
Canada has taken a giant step toward educating and informing the Canadian consumer. "Complete disclosure is critical to our health," says Brenda Furman. "Our new labelling laws are awesome. However, steering away from the pre-packaged food by only consuming what can be found in the perimeter of your grocery store is best for your health. I know it's not always possible, but the more times we do, the healthier and longer we will live."
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