Reading Food Labels
There are many manufactured products available and promoted to canteens. Some manufacturers are now tapping into the healthy canteen movement and marketing healthier versions. An understanding of food labels is essential in helping choose healthier foods.
Nutrient claims
These are statements on the front of the packet telling you about the product. For example, 97 per cent fat free, high fibre, low fat, low sodium. Most of these claims are genuine and help you to determine if the product is suitable.
The following are some common nutrient claims used in advertising that may be misleading and should be checked against the nutrition information panel or ingredient list.
Light/lite
This does not always refer to the fat content; it may mean lighter in flavour or colour.
Reduced fat or % less fat
This means that the food has less fat than the regular product but does not necessarily mean that it is low in fat.
Cholesterol-free
This means that the product does not contain any cholesterol, but it does not mean it is fat-free or even low in fat. All foods that originate from plants and their oils are free of cholesterol but are not necessarily free of or low in saturated fat.
No added sugar or salt
This means the product has had no sugar or salt added. The food may naturally contain high amounts of sugar or salt, for example ‘no added sugar’ orange juice is still high in fruit sugar.
All natural
This does not necessarily mean healthy. These products can sometimes still be high in sugar or saturated fat.
The nutrition information panel
Every product must have the nutritional values per 100 grams or 100 millilitres stated on the packaging. Use this information to compare products.
Use the per serve column to compare your serve to that recommended. One serve may not necessarily equal one packet or the amount you would normally eat.
Look at the example below.
Nutrition information panel
Servings per package: 8
| Average quantity per 100 g | Average quantity per 60 g serve | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 1555 kJ | 467 kJ |
| Protein | 8.6 g | 2.6 g |
| Fat – total | 1.1 g | 0.3 g |
| Fat – saturated | 0.3 g | 0.1 g |
| Carbohydrate – total | 80.5 g | 24.1 g |
| Carbohydrate – sugars | 13.7 g | 4.1 g |
| Dietary fibre | 9.4 g | 2.8 g |
| Sodium | 8 mg | 2 mg |
| Potassium | 424 mg | 127 mg |
The ingredients are listed in descending order of quantity. The nutrition information panel must state the levels of any nutrient about which a nutrition claim has been made on the packaging (for example high fibre, low salt, reduced fat).
Ingredients: Wholewheat, fruit paste (25%) (dried dates, sultanas, pear juice concentrate, glycerol, blackcurrant juice concentrate), sugar, vitamins (niacin, riboflavin, thiamine)
For current information about food labelling laws in Australia, refer to Food Standards Australia and New Zealand
Choosing basic ingredients
Basic foods and ingredients such as bread, dairy and breakfast cereals can be assessed using the table below.
| Food | Total fat | Fibre |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast cereals* | Less than 5 g/100 g | 8 g/100 g or more |
| Bread | Less than 5 g/100 g | 5 g/100 g or more |
| Milk | Less than 2 g/100 g | |
| Cheese | Less than 15 g/100 g | |
| Yoghurt | Less than 2 g/100 g | |
| Ice-cream | Less than 5 g/100 g | |
| Mayonnaise, sauces, dressings | Less than 5 g/100 g | |
| Meats, for example mince | Less than 10 g/100 g |
*Cereals should contain no more than 15 g/100 g total sugar. Check the ingredient list for the type of sugar. Specific nutrient guidelines for sugar are not given. Check the ingredient list for the source of the sugar. Sugar that comes from a fruit or dairy source is more nutritious than sucrose.
Some products may be naturally high in fat (for example, margarine, cheese) and sugar (for example, honey) and may not meet these nutrient guidelines. Limit the amount of these foods used. Choose foods with fats that are low in saturated fat.