Whether the nutrition label happens to be something you regularly look at (or generally ignore) there’s bound to be at least one time when you look at all those numbers or nutrition claims and think what the heck does that mean? This list is to help you through that moment to understand food nutrition labels.

First it’s important to remember that we eat foods, not nutrients in isolation.

I am yet to meet a ‘perfect’ food that would meet all ideal criteria while still being edible and tasting any good (a very important factor).

As a dietitian I always recommend whole foods first and foremost, but the reality is that almost all of us are time-poor and use some form of processed foods on a regular basis. Whether it’s a can of beans to throw into a pasta dish, a box of cereal or even something from the ‘occasional’ list, most foods bar fresh fruit and vegetables have been processed in one way or another.

Here enters the need for nutrition labels, and some code to decipher what they mean:

Energy

Energy free – less than 4kcal (17kJ) per 100ml
Reduced energy – at least a 30% reduction from the original product/compared product
Low energy – less than 40kcal (170kJ) per 100g for solids OR <20kcal (80kJ) per 100ml for liquids

Total Fat

Fat free – no more than 0.5g per 100g per 100ml
Low fat – less than 3g fat per 100g (solids) OR <1.5g fat per 100ml (liquids)
High fat – more than 17.5g fat per 100g

Saturated Fat

Saturated fat free – less than 0.1g per 100g/100ml
Low saturated fat – less than 1.5g per 100g (solids) OR <0.75g per 100ml (liquids)
High saturated fat – more than 5g per 100g

Sugar

Sugar free – less than 0.5g sugar per 100g/100ml
Low sugar – less than 5g per 100g (solids) OR <2.5g per 100ml (liquids)
Moderate sugar – between 5g and 22.5g per 100g
High sugar – more than 22.5g sugar per 100g

Salt (sodium)

Salt free – less than 0.01g salt per 100g (0.005g sodium)
Low salt – less than 0.3g salt per 100g (0.01g sodium)
High salt – more than 1.5g salt per 100g (0.6g sodium)

Fibre

Low fibre – 2.99g fibre per 100g or less per 100g
Source of fibre – more than 3g fibre per 100g OR >1.5g per 100kcal (420kJ)
High fibre – more than 6g fibre per 100g OR >3g per 100kcal (420kJ)

Protein

Low protein – less than 12% total energy from protein
Source of protein – at least 12% of total energy from protein
High protein – at least 20% of total energy needs to come from protein.

Vitamins & Minerals

Source of vitamin/mineral – minimum 15% of the recommended daily allowance for that particular vitamin/mineral per 100g/100m

Gemma

How to understand Nutrition food labels (EU/UK)