Why do we use Nutrition Facts vs. Supplement Facts?
Some of our customers have asked why we decided to use nutrition facts instead of supplement facts for our calcium chew. Just look at any other calcium chew out there and you’ll see supplement facts like this:
Supplement Facts from a conventional synthetic calcium chew.
You’ll see a lot of things missing in this example of supplement facts: dietary fiber, total fat (saturated and trans), a comprehensive list of vitamins, and protein. Supplement facts do list serving sizes, % Daily Value (%DV), and other components like binders or fillers. Supplement facts can include structure/function claims, such as “supports immune health,” but must include a disclaimer stating the FDA hasn’t evaluated these claims or approved the product to treat or prevent diseases. Since the FDA hasn’t evaluated the claims, companies can write down claims that suit their marketing goals but haven’t been scientifically verified.
We could have used supplement facts to detail our product, but we actually wanted to be more transparent and our product to be subject to more - not less - regulatory oversight. Nutrition Facts are for food and beverages, and regulated by the FDA. By using Nutrition Facts, instead of Supplement Facts, we are required to detail calories, macronutrients (like fats, carbs, and protein), and essential vitamins and minerals. By using nutrition facts, we can only make health claims if we meet strict FDA requirements. Using the calcium example, for instance, only calcium-rich foods or supplements can legally claim, if they meet the FDA’s criteria for calcium content and overall healthfulness. Such claims must be backed by scientific evidence and adhere to strict labeling guidelines.
Our chew easily meets those FDA criteria. Since our chew meets provides at least 20% of the Daily Value (DV) for calcium per serving, is highly bioavailable from its dietary calcium source, meets other specific standards for its overall nutritional profile, we can use the FDA-approved claim that: “Adequate calcium throughout life, as part of a well-balanced diet, may reduce the risk of osteoporosis.” Supplements, on the other hand, are not held to the same standard and supplement manufacturers can make claims that are not scientifically backed or held up to FDA standards. Just look at the back of any supplement and you can find some pretty wild claims.
Regulation is also important to us at Seen. Supplements partially have a poor reputation because they fall under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), which holds manufacturers responsible for ensuring product safety and truthful labeling. However, supplements don’t require FDA approval before being sold unless they contain a new dietary ingredient (NDI).
Foods (which run nutrition facts like ours) face far stricter oversight. The FDA ensures food safety, labeling accuracy, and compliance with manufacturing standards. Additives and health claims for foods must go through FDA approval before they’re allowed on the market. We are proud of our simple, mostly organic ingredient list and we appreciate the role the FDA plays in ensuring a safe and nutritious food supply.
Seen’s nutrition facts
For both better transparency and to ensure a higher level of regulatory oversight, we chose to run nutrition facts on the back of our package to better communicate to you the nutritiousness, safety, and bioavailability of our calcium for better bone health.
