Expert Urges Reconsideration of Food Nutrition Labels to Include Nutrient Release Rates

Recent discussions in the nutrition science community highlight the need for a significant overhaul of how food labels communicate nutritional information. According to Emeritus Professor Mike Gidley from the University of Queensland's Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, current labeling practices fall short of providing a comprehensive picture of a food's true nutritional impact. Presently, labels primarily focus on nutrient composition—such as the amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and fats—as well as caloric energy, compared against daily intake recommendations. However, this method does not account for the rate at which these nutrients are released and absorbed by the body.

Professor Gidley emphasizes that many foods with similar nutrient profiles can have vastly different effects due to differences in nutrient release rates. For example, whole foods tend to release nutrients slowly and steadily, which is beneficial for sustained energy and gut health, whereas processed foods often release nutrients rapidly, leading to quick spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels. The current labeling system fails to reflect this crucial aspect of nutritional quality.

He advocates for an updated labeling system that incorporates information about how quickly individual nutrients—such as proteins, starches, fats, and sugars—are delivered to the body. Such a system would help consumers make more informed choices, bridging the gap between nutrient composition and actual physiological effects.

However, Professor Gidley acknowledges that integrating nutrient release rates into labels requires further research. Non-invasive methods to measure nutrient digestion and absorption in humans are still under development. Additionally, understanding the role of gut microbiota in nutrient processing is critical. He calls for international collaboration to standardize testing methods to predict nutrient release more accurately.

While this approach is still in the conceptual stage, Gidley suggests classifying foods into categories like fast, medium, or slow nutrient release as a starting point. He believes that opening this dialogue is essential for advancing nutrition labeling practices and ultimately improving public health.

This perspective was published in an opinion piece in Nature Food, emphasizing the need to rethink how we communicate food's nutritional value to better align with our understanding of human digestion and health benefits.

For more details, see the original publication: [Nature Food - DOI: 10.1038/s43016-025-01187-y]