How to Read a Nutrition Label Without Getting Confused
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How to Read a Nutrition Label Without Getting Confused
Nutrition labels appear on almost every packaged food product, but most people either ignore them or find them difficult to interpret quickly. Knowing what to look at — and what to focus on — makes a real difference to the food choices you make without requiring a background in nutrition.
Start With Serving Size
Every figure on a nutrition label refers to a specific serving size, which may not match what you actually eat. If the serving size is listed as 30g but you pour twice that amount, all the numbers double. Check the serving size first, and if necessary adjust the numbers you’re reading accordingly.
The Numbers Worth Focusing On
- Calories (energy): Useful context for how a food fits into your overall daily intake, but calories alone don’t tell the full story. A 200-calorie snack of nuts and a 200-calorie biscuit are very different foods despite identical energy values.
- Saturated fat: The type of fat more reliably linked to cardiovascular risk than total fat. Look for lower rather than higher amounts, particularly in foods you eat regularly.
- Added sugar: Some labels break this out from total sugar, which is helpful. Total sugars include naturally occurring ones (from fruit or dairy) as well as added ones. “Of which sugars” on a UK-style label usually refers to total sugars including natural sources.
- Fibre: Higher fibre content is generally better. Look for 3g or more per 100g as a rough guide for a good fibre source.
- Sodium (salt): Often listed as sodium; multiply by 2.5 to get the salt equivalent. High salt intake over time is linked to blood pressure. High is generally considered above 1.5g sodium (or 3.75g salt) per 100g.
- Protein: Relevant particularly if you’re managing appetite, muscle health, or a weight goal.
Traffic Light Labels
Many products in the UK use a colour-coded front-of-pack labelling system showing red, amber, or green for fat, saturated fat, sugar, and salt per serving. This is a quick practical guide for comparing similar products at a glance — green indicates low levels, amber moderate, and red high.
The Ingredient List
Ingredients are listed in descending order of weight. If sugar, a refined grain, or a type of fat appears in the first two or three positions, it makes up a significant proportion of the product. Shorter ingredient lists with recognisable items generally indicate less processing.
If you are managing a specific health condition and need to monitor intake of particular nutrients — sodium for hypertension, potassium for kidney disease, or carbohydrates for diabetes — your GP or a registered dietitian can advise on the specific figures you should be checking and the target ranges that apply to your situation.