Shopping for groceries is like navigating a maze — with so many choices and food packages covered in marketing claims, with little direction on what is healthy and what isn’t. For years, nutrition facts labels provided nutrition content for calories, fat, sodium, sugar, protein, vitamins and minerals, but advocates say more must be done to ensure that consumers have more information.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is developing new labeling to appear on the front of food and beverage products that provides clear and concise information to help people identify healthier foods more quickly. Research from other countries shows that front-of-package labeling helps consumers make healthier purchases and even gets manufacturers to make healthier products.

More than 40 countries currently require front package labeling. Some use stoplight colors like red, yellow, and green, or a grading system like a report card — A, B, C, D, E — to indicate how healthy a product is. Some countries use a warning system to indicate whether products include high amounts of added sugar, saturated fat, or sodium in order to help make it easier for consumers to quickly determine whether their choices are healthy.

Front-of-package labeling helps people make healthier choices to improve well-being and reduce high rates of diet-related diseases, including some forms of heart disease and cancer. The National Academy of Medicine recommended this system more than 10 years ago, and national polls show that most Americans support it.

“Clear, concise front-of-package nutrition labeling is the answer. Grocery shopping shouldn’t require a degree in nutrition,” says Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association.

The FDA plans to release a proposal for a front-of-package food labeling system. To stay informed and learn more, visit www.yourethecure.org/FOP.