Virtual Medical Centre

Shopping Guide for Healthy Food Choices

• Reading food product labels
• Nutritional information 
  • List of ingredients
  • Serving size and amount per serving
  • Energy content
  • Percentage of daily intake
• Heart Foundation tick of approval

Reading food product labels

These days, many consumers pick foods depending on the attraction and temptation of the label on the front of the food packaging. However, these labels are often full of marketing hype and can contain misleading claims. To become educated consumers, we should turn to the sides and back of the food product and read the labels carefully. There are many things that the labels can tell us, and we can use these to help us pick nutritious and healthy items.

Nutritional information

List of ingredients

Every packaged food provides a list of all the ingredients contained in the food. The ingredients are listed from greatest to smallest quantity. 

Serving size and amount per serving

A section of the label, usually located on the side of the container, provides information about the serving sizes of the food. The serving size is a standard measure of the food used for reference on the rest of the label. It is usually expressed in grams or millilitres. The serving size is the amount of the food that the average consumer eats, or that is recommended by the manufacturer. 

Note that one manufacturer of a food product may quote 'x' number of grams as one serving size, but another manufacturer of the same product may give '1.5x' as a serving size. It is also important to note that the serving size used on food labels is different from the nutritionally recommended serving. For example, the serving size found on the label of a milk carton may be 100 mL, but the nutritionally recommended serving size for dairy is 250 mL.

The servings per container/pack is the number of servings found in the package.

The nutritional information on the label lists the amount of energy (calories/kilojoules), fat, carbohydrates and so on found in the food. When interpreting this list, it is important to note whether the amount is given for the entire contents of the package, for a serving size, or for an arbitrary amount of food (e.g. 100 g or 100 mL). 

Energy content

The nutritional information on a food label provides the amount of energy obtained from the product, expressed in calories or kilojoules. This helps us monitor the amount of fat we consume. It is recommended that no more than 30% of our daily energy comes from fat. Therefore, foods higher in fat should be eaten in smaller amounts.

For our weight to remain stable, the total amount of energy we consume must not exceed the total that we use up through metabolic processes (e.g. exercising, sweating and breathing). Energy intake must match energy output. The average energy intake is about 2800 cal/day for men, and about 1800 cal/day for women. However, these values vary with body size and activity level.

Percentage of daily intake

Some nutritional information gives the percentage of the total recommended daily amount of a substance that is found in one serving of the food. Substances found in the nutritional information include:

• Sodium or salt: Note that sodium is not the same as salt. The full name for salt is sodium chloride, and sodium is just one part of a salt molecule. To determine how much salt is in the food, multiply the sodium content by 2.5. No recommended daily intake of sodium has been established, but for adults, an adequate intake of sodium is 460–920 mg/day. You should not consume more than 2,300 mg/day of sodium.
• Cholesterol: No upper limit has been set for cholesterol intake, because any increase in cholesterol above zero also increases the risk of coronary heart disease. Cholesterol is unavoidable in most diets, but the recommendation is to consume a low cholesterol diet that is nutritionally adequate. 
• Fat: It is recommended that 20–35% of the total energy you receive from food be in the form of fat. Saturated and trans fats together should be limited to no more than 10% of energy. One gram of fat yields about 9 cal. Therefore, the average total fat intake is about 70 g/day for men and 45 g/day for women.
• Carbohydrates: The carbohydrate listed includes complex carbohydrates, starches, non-digestible additives and sugar sweeteners. Carbohydrates should make up about 55% of total energy  intake. Carbohydrates should come mainly from low energy density and/or low glycaemic index foods. One gram of carbohydrate yields about 4 cal. Therefore, the average carbohydrate intake is about 380 g/day for men and 245 g/day for women.
• Fibre: The recommended average intake of dietary fibre is 30 g/day for men and 25 g/day for women.
• Protein: The recommended daily intake of protein is 0.84 g/kg body weight/day for men and 0.75 g/kg body weight/day for women. This is roughly 64 g/day for men and 46 g/day for women.

Heart Foundation tick of approval

The Heart Foundation has developed a red Tick of approval as part of the "Tick Program" to help people make healthier food choices quickly and easily. To earn the Tick, the food product must be tested by an independent laboratory team of experts. Routine checks are carried out to make sure they continue to meet the Tick's requirements.

All food products must comply with strict nutrient standards, which place limits on the amount of unhealthy ingredients contained in the product (e.g. saturated fats, salts). Serving sizes are also monitored. Tick approved meals must contain at least one serving of vegetables, or contain a minimal amount of fibre. Tick approved meals always have a nutritional information panel on the packaging that lists the ingredients that have been tested for in the product.

We must be careful that the Heart Foundation Tick is the real deal – there may be many other "ticks" on the packaging of products that are not necessarily endorsed by the Heart Foundation. Always look for the words "National Heart Foundation Approved" underneath the logo to make sure you are buying truly healthy and nutritious products.