Nutrition Labels - Read them or pass by?

Do you know how to effectively check nutrition labels on food products?

When you pick up a food product, do you stop to really read the nutrition label? Nutrition information is often provided per serving and/or per 100g. For liquids, you will see the information presented per 100cl. If the entire product is more than or less than 100cl/100g, you will have to adjust your calculations based on how much you plan to consume.

It is important to get this right to make informed choices.         

Depending on what you are eating or drinking, it could mean checking the label for serving sizes of half, one-third as the case may be.

Let's get into this fully. What will you find in the nutrition label?

Nutrition labels are usually designed to be clear and easy to navigate. However, it is important to pay close attention when reading them. In many cases, allergens are highlighted using special characters, and key nutrients are conspicuously displayed. But here is the thing: To truly make the best choices for your health, you need to read the entire label—not just the ???????????? ??????????????!

In most cases, the front of the package will give you a quick reference to help compare similar products from different brands. You will likely see an overview of the calorie content (Some use Kcal and/or KJ), carbohydrates (including sugars), protein, fats (including saturated fats), salt, and sugar. These nutrients are often colour-coded—red, amber, and green—like a traffic light. This is a simple rule of thumb:

• ?????????? means it is a healthier choice.
• ?????????? is okay sometimes but not the best.
• ?????? indicates something that should be eaten only occasionally.

So, the more ?????????? you see, the better! The plan should be to aim for more greens and fewer reds when making your choices.

Here is a quick example;

When comparing cereals, it is easy to assume that all cereals are the same. But did you know that they can have different nutrient content? Some may be packed with nuts, seeds, some may be packed with fibre and fortified with micronutrients such as Vitamin A, Zinc, Iron, while others may lack these additional nutrients entirely. If you don’t read the labels carefully, you might think you are getting similar nutritional benefits just because both are called "cereal." In reality, the differences can be huge—and those differences could affect your health in the long run.

Bonus tip: Your actual portion might differ from the serving size listed on the package, so check if you are consuming more or less! Keep in mind that there may be a difference between what the label considers a "serving size" and what you actually consume. You might eat more—or less—than the stated serving, so ensure you always adjust your calculations accordingly.        

Until I write my next letter to you, have a beautiful weekend as we welcome the month of March!

Abiola

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