What are the main features of a food label and what information is the most important?
- Ingredients
If you have a food allergy or intolerance, the ingredients list is one of the first place you should look. Some manufacturers use ‘allergy advice boxes’ or put common allergens in bold to highlight this information, but it’s best to read the ingredients list thoroughly if you do have an allergy.1,2
- Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are generally split into total carbohydrates (starches plus sugars) and sugars.3
- Nutritional Information
The nutritional information on a food label gives typical values for energy, carbohydrates and fats. Values are given per 100 grams (g) and per portion.3 Remember to look at the portion amount, as this will be closer to the amount you eat.
- Fats
Food labels usually show the total amount of fat and breaks down into saturates (unhealthy fats) and unsaturated (healthy fats).3
Things to note: 1,3
Energy is measured in kilojoules (kJ) and kilocalories (kcal), referred to as calories.
- Nutrition information is generally calculated per 100g and includes fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sugars, protein and salt.
- If the product contains significant quantities of certain ingredients, it is usually listed, as well as vitamins (e.g. A, B, D and K) and minerals (e.g. selenium, molybdenum, chromium, etc.)
Nutritional guidelines
The nutritional guidelines below give you an indication as to whether food is high in fat, saturated fat, salt, sugar or not.3
Some food manufacturers use the traffic light labelling system on the nutritional information, which tells you at a glance if the food has high, medium, or low amounts of fat, saturated fat, salt, sugar and energy.3
- Red = high
- Yellow = medium
- Green = low
What to look out for as a daily average
On average, a person who consumes 2,000 calories a day should: 4
- Have no more than 78g of fat (including a maximum of 20g saturated fat).
- Limit their sugar intake to 50g a day.
- Aim to eat at least 50g of protein.
- Consume about 28g of fiber.
Tip: Try to eat as many foods that are labelled green or amber as possible.
Additional food label terms to consider: 5
- Use by:
- For food that goes bad quickly, like fish, meat products and fresh salads, be sure to look out for additional instructions like: “refrigerate” or “eat within three days of opening”.
- For food that goes bad quickly, like fish, meat products and fresh salads, be sure to look out for additional instructions like: “refrigerate” or “eat within three days of opening”.
- Best before:
- Appears on frozen, tinned, or dried foods. Once the date has passed, it does not necessarily mean that the food will be harmful, but rather that it may lose its flavor or texture.
- Appears on frozen, tinned, or dried foods. Once the date has passed, it does not necessarily mean that the food will be harmful, but rather that it may lose its flavor or texture.
- Sell by:
- Some food packages contain a sell-by date. This date is generally directed at store employees for stock control purposes.
1. Food labelling and packaging. https:/www.gov.uk/food-labelling-and-packaging/ingredients-list. Accessed March 22, 2022.
2. Food Allergy and Intolerance Training. Food Standards Agency. https:/allergytraining.food.gov.uk. Accessed March 22, 2022.
3. Food labels. NHS. https:/www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-to-read-food-labels/. Accessed March 22, 2022.
4. Daily Value on the New Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels. https://www.fda.gov/food/new-nutrition-facts-label/daily-value-new-nutrition-and-supplement-facts-labels. Accessed March 22, 2022.
5. Food labelling terms. NHS. https:/www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-labelling-terms/. Accessed March 22, 2022.
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