Food Labels

When it comes to reading labels, it can be very confusing, as what it says on the front of the package might be misleading. So, where do you start when you’re unsure?

Step 1: Start with the Ingredients List

Always look at the label on the back first, especially the ingredients list. This list shows all the ingredients, ordered from highest to lowest by quantity.1 If the list contains even one item that you can’t recognise, it may be an indicator that the product is highly processed and far from its natural form.2 As a general rule, the fewer ingredients a product has, the better.
Pay special attention to the first three ingredients as they make up the largest part of the product.3  For example, if sugar, fat, white flour, or salt are listed, then these are the main components of the product.

Step 2: Review the Nutritional Facts Table

Look out for the following key details:

  • Total Fats: Aim for less than 10 g of total fat per 100 g of the product. The majority of fats should come from monounsaturated fats (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fats (PUFA).4
    Saturated fats should be less than the MUFAs and PUFAs.4 At NutriFundi we advise that trans fats should be less than 1 g per 100 g (ideally zero).
  • Fibre: We recommend you look for products that contain more than 5 g of fibre per serving to support digestive health.
  • Sugar: 5 g of sugar approximately equals 1 teaspoon.5 So, if a product contains 15 g of sugar per 50 g serving, that’s equivalent to 3 teaspoons of sugar. Limit added sugar intake to less than 5 g per serving. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults and children reduce their daily intake of free sugars to less than 10% of their total energy intake.6 We recommend that you aim for below 5%, or about 25 g (6 teaspoons) of sugar per day​ (Reading labels).
  • Sodium: WHO recommends a salt intake of less than 5 g per day, which is around 2,000 mg of sodium, to prevent cardiovascular diseases.6 This includes added salt, and the salt already present in products. We recommend that a single serving of any product should have less than 1,000 mg of sodium, as this is half of your daily recommended limit​ (Reading labels).

Step 3: Be Wary of Marketing Claims

Labels like “no sugar added” or “low carb” might sound appealing, but they can sometimes be misleading. Even if these claims are true, some manufacturers may compensate for taste by adding unhealthy ingredients such as saturated fats. We recommend to always check the back of the package to get a full picture of the product’s nutritional content.

The information provided in this blog post is based on the professional opinion of Nutrifundi dietitians and is intended solely for informational purposes. It is not meant to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult health care providers for personalised medical advice and treatment options related to specific health concerns.

References:

  1. Department of Health. Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, 1972 (Act 54 or 1972). [online, 1 March 2010] [Cited October 2024]. Available from: https://www.gov.za/documents/foodstuffs-cosmetics-and-disinfectants-act-2-jun-1972-0000
  2. Monteiro CA, Cannon G, Levy RB, et al. Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them. Public Health Nutr. 2019;22(5):936-941. doi: 10.1017/S1368980018003762.
  3. Bjarnadottir A. How to Read Food Labels Without Being Tricked. [online, 19 August 2020] [Cited October 2024]. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-read-food-labels
  4. Smuts CM, Wolmarans P. The importance of the quality or type of fat in the diet: a food-based dietary guideline for South Africa. S Afr J Clin Nutr. 2013;26(3)(Suppl.):S87-S99.
  5. National Health Service. How much sugar. [online] [Cited October 2024]. Available from: https://www.cddft.nhs.uk/media/637916/how%20much%20sugar.pdf
  6. World Health Organization. Sugars intake for adults and children. [online; 4 March 2015] [Cited 7 October 2024]. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549028
  7. World Health Organization. Salt intake. [online] [Cited 7 October 2024]. Available from: https://www.who.int/data/gho/indicator-metadata-registry/imr-details/3082

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