Food Labelling
To aid consumers, some food packaging now displays nutritional information on traffic light labels. This shows at-a-glance if the food you are thinking about buying has high, medium or low amounts of fat, saturated fat, sugars and salt, helping you get a better balance.
What do the colours mean?
Red = eat small amounts, or just occasionally
Amber = Ok most of the time
Green = a healthier choice
Still muddled? Use the following chart as a guide, for every 100g of food:
A lot |
a little |
|---|---|
more than 10g Sugar |
less than 2g Sugar |
more than 20g Fat |
less than 3g Fat |
more than 5g Saturates |
1g Saturates |
3g Fibre |
0.5g Fibre |
1.25g Salt |
0.25g Salt |
Using the example food label below, we’ll try and talk you through the labelling maze
:
Nutrition Information |
|||
|
|
Typical values per 100g |
Per serving |
1 |
Energy kj (kcal) |
138/33 |
292/70 |
2 |
Protein |
10g |
15g |
3 |
Carbohydrate |
26g |
42g |
3a |
Of which sugars |
13g |
31g |
4 |
Fat |
9g |
12g |
4a |
Of which saturates |
4g |
10g |
5 |
Fibre |
1g |
3g |
6 |
Sodium |
0.7g |
1.4g |
What does it all mean?
1. |
Energy - This is the number of calories in the product, i.e. Kcal. Energy can also be measured in kilo joules (kj). Most people prefer to look at the calories.
|
2. |
Protein – This is needed to help the body grow and repair itself. Most adults eat enough protein, so special focus on this section isn’t really needed. Remember to follow the portion guidelines on the Balance of Good Health or your chosen diet plan.
|
3. |
Carbohydrate – This includes starch and sugars. Starchy foods are bread, breakfast cereals, pasta, rice and potatoes and you should eat plenty of these as they can keep you feeling full for longer.
|
3a |
Of which sugars - This tells you exactly how much of the total carbohydrate comes from sugar. Products with high sugar content should be eaten in moderation only.
|
4. |
Fat - This is the total amount of fat in the product, i.e. saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat. Fat intake should be low when trying to lose weight.
|
4a |
Of which saturates - This tells you the amount of saturated fat in the product. Choose products low in saturated fat.
|
5. |
Fibre - This tells you how many grams of fibre are in the product. Fibre is good for you because it helps prevent bowel problems and keeps you fuller for longer when trying to lose weight. High fibre foods include fruit, vegetables, pulses, wholemeal bread and high fibre breakfast cereals.
|
6. |
Sodium - Sodium chloride is better known as salt. This gives you an idea of how much salt is in the product. Try to keep the salt content in your diet low as too much salt can lead to health problems, particularly high blood pressure.
|
So, what else can food labels tell us?
What do the following phrases really mean?
Low fat |
Less than 5% fat
|
Reduced fat |
At least 25% less fat than the standard product
|
Half fat |
At least 50% less fat than the standard product
|
Virtually fat free
|
Less than 0.3% fat |
Reduced salt |
At least 33% less salt than the standard product
|
High in fibre |
At least 6% fibre
|
Source of fibre |
At least 3% fibre
|
Rich in carbohydrates |
At least 70% energy from carbohydrates (includes sugars)
|
Virtually sugar free |
Less than 0.3% sugar
|
No added sugar |
No extra sugar added to the ingredients or food
|
Rich in Vitamin C |
More than 50% of the recommended amount
|
Source of calcium |
Provides at least 25% of the recommended daily amount |
