Good Design isn't just images and forms. It is also the orderly presentation of information - demonstrated by Nutrition Facts our Design and Business Classic.

Anyone trying to lose weight or on a restricted diet has probably spent a fair amount of time scrutinizing the Nutrition Facts on packaged foods. It may seem dry and matter-of-fact, but when you think about it, the label is a tribute to clarity and design. Each label presents more than 30 bits of essential nutrition information in a legible, easy-to-understand manner often in a space barely two inches high. Typeset in sans-serif Helvetica with thin and thick rules, Nutrition Facts simplifies complex information and gives it a hierarchy of importance so you don't have to search the fine print for pertinent details like serving size..

Food producers weren't always so forthcoming with nutrition facts. Less than a century ago, food labels barely identified what was inside a box. Consumers had to trust the manufacturer to use only healthy ingredients not always a safe bet.

In 1924, the Federal Food and Drug Act gave the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to clamp down on bogus health claims and misleading labels. The FDA also tried to make manufacturers more accountable by requiring them to list their names and addresses on the packaging.

By 1973, packaged food makers were also required to supply nutritional values listing the amount of vitamins and minerals inside, but the manner in which this information was presented was often inconsistent and incomplete.

The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 finally called for a major overhaul of food labels. The FDA and U.S. Department of Agriculture set out uniform guidelines for the new labels. Launched in 1994, Nutrition Facts offers a plethora of health-relevant information. What it couldn't cover, unfortunately, was how to motivate people to eat right.