How to read a food label without getting lost
Serving size, per 100g figures and red, amber or green coding do most of the work. Here is a simple order for reading a food label.
A food label answers three questions quickly if you read it in the right order: how much counts as one serving, how the product compares with similar products, and what it is actually made of. Everything else on the pack is detail.
Start with the serving size
On the Nutrition Facts label used in the United States, the first thing to check is the serving size and the number of servings in the package. Every nutrient amount, including calories, refers to that serving, and one pack can easily hold two or more. The fda.gov guidance notes that serving size reflects what people typically eat and is not a recommendation of how much you should eat or drink.
Compare like with like
In the United Kingdom, pre-packed foods carry a nutrition information label giving amounts per 100g or 100ml, and sometimes per portion. The nhs.uk food labels page recommends using the per 100g values to compare two similar products, because the portion sizes printed on packaging are chosen by the manufacturer and may not match what you eat.
The same page sets out simple per 100g thresholds:
- Total fat: high is more than 17.5g, low is 3g or less.
- Saturated fat: high is more than 5g, low is 1.5g or less.
- Sugars: high is more than 22.5g, low is 5g or less.
- Salt: high is more than 1.5g, low is 0.3g or less.
Use front-of-pack colour coding
Many products now show energy, fat, saturated fat, sugars and salt on the front, with red, amber and green coding. Red means high, amber means medium and green means low. A product showing mostly greens is generally a better everyday choice, while any red is a signal to have that food less often and in smaller amounts.
Read the ingredients list
Ingredients must be listed in descending order of weight, so the largest ingredient by weight comes first. If cream, butter or oil sits near the top of the list, the product is likely to be high in fat overall. Allergens are highlighted in bold on the packaging or a label attached to it.
The bottom line
Check the serving size first, compare the per 100g figures against the thresholds above, then scan the colour coding and the ingredients list. This article is general information, not medical advice; for guidance about your own diet or a health condition, speak to a doctor or a registered dietitian.