Parenting Australia

How to understand what you are buying - Food labels explained

We all notice food labels on the back of packets, drinks and boxes but do we really know how to read them? The information below will help you get a better understanding of what you are really buying .

The food label list of ingredients
All ingredients must be listed in descending order by weight, including added water. So:

• The ingredient listed first is present in the largest amount.
• The ingredient listed last is present in the least amount.

If an ingredient makes up less than five per cent of the food, it does not have to be listed. Where there are very small amounts of multi-component ingredients (less than five per cent), it is permitted to list ‘composite’ ingredients only: for example, it may say ‘chocolate’ (rather than cocoa, cocoa butter and sugar) in a choc chip ice cream. This does not apply to any additive or allergen – these must be listed no matter how small the amount.

Nutrition claims must meet the guidelines
For a manufacturer to make various claims, their products must meet the following guidelines:

• No added sugar – products must not contain added sugar, but may contain natural sugars.
• Reduced fat or salt – should be at least a 25 per cent reduction from the original product.
• Low fat – must contain less than 3 per cent fat for solid foods (1.5 per cent for liquid foods).
• Fat free – must be less than 0.15 per cent fat.
• Percentage of fat – remember 80 per cent fat free is the same as 20 per cent fat, which is a large amount.

The nutrients listed in the NIP
The NIP provides information on seven nutrients: energy (kilojoules), protein, total fat, saturated fat, total carbohydrates, sugars and sodium. Cholesterol content does not have to be listed unless a claim is made.

Listing saturated fat on the NIP helps consumers decide whether a food product may affect their blood cholesterol levels. Saturated fat has a more significant effect on blood cholesterol levels than mono- or polyunsaturated fats. It is generally present in higher amounts in animal-based products, but can also be found in non–animal-based foods, such as commercial biscuits and cakes (which contain hydrogenated vegetable oil – often listed as vegetable fat or shortening).

Listing nutrients
Other nutrients such as fibre, potassium, calcium and iron may be listed if a claim is made on the label. The nutrients are displayed in a standard format, providing amount per serve and per 100g (or 100ml if liquid).

Nutrition claims on labels
Don’t be misled by labelling tricks and traps. The terms used are often misleading. For example:

• The term ‘light’ or ‘lite’ doesn’t necessarily mean that the product is low in fat or energy. The term ‘light’ may refer to the texture, colour or taste of the product. The characteristic that makes the food ‘light’ must be stated on the label.
• The claims ‘no cholesterol’, ‘low cholesterol’ or ‘cholesterol free’ on foods derived from plants, like margarine and oil, are meaningless because all plant foods contain virtually no cholesterol. However, some can be high in fat and can contribute to weight gain if used too generously.
• If an item claims to be 93 per cent fat free, it actually contains 7 per cent fat, but it looks so much better the other way.
• ‘Baked not fried’ sounds healthier, but it may still have just as much fat – check the nutrition information panel to be sure.
• ‘Fresh as’ actually means the product hasn’t been preserved by freezing, canning, high-temperature or chemical treatment. However, it may have been refrigerated and spent time in processing and transport.

Avoiding fats, sugars or salt requires careful checking
The ingredient list will specify the contents of a product. However, if you are trying to avoid fat, sugar or salt, they may be added in many forms and scattered all over the ingredients list. For example, ingredients that contain fat include:

• Beef fat
• Butter
• Shortening
• Coconut
• Coconut oil or palm oil
• Copha
• Cream
• Dripping
• Lard
• Mayonnaise
• Sour cream
• Vegetable oils and fats
• Hydrogenated oils
• Full-cream milk powder
• Egg (cholesterol)
• Mono-, di- or triglycerides.

Oven fried and baked or toasted implies the inclusion of fat.

Ingredients that contain sugar include:

• Brown sugar
• Corn syrup
• Dextrose
• Disaccharides
• Fructose
• Glucose
• Golden syrup
• Honey
• Lactose
• Malt
• Maltose
• Mannitol
• Maple syrup
• Molasses
• Monosaccharides
• Raw sugar
• Sorbitol
• Sucrose
• Xylitol

Ingredients that contain salt (sodium) include:

• Baking powder
• Booster
• Celery salt
• Garlic salt
• Sodium
• Meat or yeast extract
• Onion salt
• Monosodium glutamate (msg)
• Rock salt
• Sea salt
• Sodium bicarbonate
• Sodium metabisulphate
• Sodium nitrate/nitrite and stock cubes.

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