In Mexico, a can of Coke has a stop sign that warns of high levels of sugar. In Chile, a bag of Cheetos has a similar label for sodium, a mineral found in salt. In many countries, versions of your favorite snacks come with warnings about their ingredients.

Earlier this year, lawmakers in Congress proposed a bill to add similar warning labels in the U.S. They want to add labels to all “food and beverages with unacceptably high levels of sugar, salt, and saturated fat.” The goal is to discourage people from consuming ultra-processed foods and drinks. (They’re often called junk food.) A study published in 2021 found that these foods make up 67 percent of American kids’ diets.

Ultra-processed foods often contain artificial ingredients that improve flavor but have few nutrients. Think chips, cookies, candy, sodas, and sugary cereals. Many studies have shown that consuming too many ultra-processed foods can lead to serious health problems. They include type 2 diabetes and heart disease. 

But many people say putting warning labels on foods and drinks isn’t a good way to improve our eating habits.

In Mexico, a can of Coke has a stop sign on the front. It warns of high levels of sugar. In Chile, a bag of Cheetos has a similar label for sodium. That’s a mineral found in salt. In many countries, popular snacks come with warnings about their ingredients.

Earlier this year, lawmakers proposed a bill to add warning labels in the U.S. They want to put labels on “food and beverages with unacceptably high levels of sugar, salt, and saturated fat.” The goal is to guide people away from consuming ultra-processed foods and drinks. (They’re often called junk food.) According to a 2021 study, these foods make up 67 percent of American kids’ diets.

Ultra-processed foods often have artificial ingredients. These ingredients improve flavor but have few nutrients. Think chips, cookies, candy, sodas, and sugary cereals. Studies show that consuming too many ultra-processed foods can lead to serious health problems. They include type 2 diabetes and heart disease.  

But many people say putting warning labels on foods and drinks isn’t a good way to improve our eating habits.   

Supporters of warning labels on food and drinks argue that the messaging could help people make healthier decisions. They say ultra-processed foods should have warnings similar to those on cigarette packs. Consuming such foods can lead to some of the same long-term health problems that smoking cigarettes causes. 

Most foods and drinks have nutritional information listed on the package. But that information can be easy to miss and complicated to understand. Kat Morgan is a researcher who studies food and the effects of warning labels. She explains that warnings on the front of packaging immediately make clear what’s inside.

“The labels are very simple and help people see when a food is loaded with too much sugar, salt, and fat,” she says. 

Those warnings may have another positive effect. 

“Warning labels will encourage companies to change their foods to be healthier or less harmful,” Morgan says.

Supporters of warning labels on snacks argue that they could help people make healthier decisions. They say ultra-processed foods should have warnings similar to the kinds on cigarette packs. Consuming these foods can lead to some of the same health problems that smoking cigarettes causes. 

Most foods and drinks have nutritional information listed on the package. But that information can be easy to miss. It can also be hard to understand. Kat Morgan is a researcher who studies food and the effects of warning labels. She says that warnings on the front of packaging quickly make clear what’s inside.

“The labels are very simple and help people see when a food is loaded with too much sugar, salt, and fat,” she says. 

Those warnings may have another positive effect. 

“Warning labels will encourage companies to change their foods to be healthier or less harmful,” Morgan says.

Some experts argue that warning labels are too simple and don’t actually teach people about nutrition. Even worse, they say, these labels send the message that certain foods are “bad,” which can make kids feel guilty about eating them. But nutrition experts say it’s OK to have sweet or salty treats sometimes. 

“There’s nothing wrong with liking the types of foods that might have warning labels on them,” says Therese Bridges. She’s a nutritionist who helps teens develop healthy eating habits. 

Also, some people argue that warning labels won’t make us switch from ultra-processed foods to healthier options. 

“When we’re told ‘No, you can’t eat that,’ it doesn’t actually tell us about all the options we can eat,” Bridges explains. She says it would be more effective to teach kids about how to have a balanced diet.

Some experts argue that warning labels are too simple. They think labels don’t actually teach people about nutrition. Even worse, they say, these labels suggest that certain foods are “bad.” This can make kids feel guilty about eating them. But nutrition experts say it’s OK to have sweet or salty treats sometimes. 

“There’s nothing wrong with liking the types of foods that might have warning labels on them,” says nutritionist Therese Bridges. She helps teens develop healthy eating habits. 

Some people also argue that warning labels won’t make us switch from ultra-processed foods to healthier foods. 

“When we’re told ‘No, you can’t eat that,’ it doesn’t actually tell us about all the options we can eat,” Bridges explains. She says it would be more helpful to teach kids about how to have a balanced diet.