A Beginner’s Guide to Reading Food Labels
Food labels can be confusing, small print, long ingredient lists, and numbers that don’t always make sense at first glance. But with a few simple tricks, you can learn to quickly spot what matters most and make choices that align with your health goals.
Here’s a breakdown of the key things to look for when reading nutrition labels.
1. Spot Hidden Additives and Long Ingredient Lists
When looking at food packaging, always start with the ingredient list. Ingredients are listed in order of quantity, the first few make up most of the product.
🔎 What to look for:
Long lists packed with unfamiliar names can mean more additives, preservatives, and artificial ingredients.
Hidden sugars often appear under different names (e.g., glucose syrup, maltose, fructose, cane sugar).
“Health halo” ingredients like vegetable oils or fibre extracts may sound beneficial but often indicate heavy processing.
👉 Tip: A shorter ingredient list, with more whole-food ingredients (like oats, nuts, fruit), is usually a better sign of a minimally processed product.
Remember, foods with long lists aren’t always “bad,” but it’s worth considering how often you’re eating them and whether they fit your overall health goals.
2. Look Beyond Sugars — Check the Fibre
It’s easy to get stuck on sugar numbers, but fibre is just as important. Fibre slows sugar absorption, supports gut health, and helps keep you fuller for longer.
Aim for products with at least 3g of fibre per serve.
A balance of moderate sugar and higher fibre is better than very low sugar but no fibre at all.
👉 Tip: High-fibre snacks like wholegrain crackers, lentil chips, or oats-based bars will help prevent the sugar highs and crashes of lower-fibre options.
3. Compare Using the Per 100g Column
Serving sizes can be misleading. That’s why the per 100g column is so useful — it allows a fair comparison between different products.
What to Look for (Per 100g):
Fibre: 3g or more
Sugar: Less than 15g (unless naturally from fruit or dairy)
Sodium:
Less than 400mg = moderate
Over 600mg = high
Saturated fat: Try to keep under 3g
👉 Example: Two different granola brands may show very different serving sizes, but checking per 100g makes it easy to see which is higher in sugar and lower in fibre.
4. Don’t Forget to Check Serving Sizes
Many products make serving sizes look smaller than what people usually eat. For example, a 20g serve of peanut butter (1 tablespoon) is reasonable, but a snack bar might list half a bar as a serving — when in reality, you’ll probably eat the whole thing.
👉 Tip: If the serving size doesn’t match how you’d normally eat it, calculate the values for your actual portion.
5. Think Big Picture
Food labels don’t tell the full story. Nutrition isn’t just about numbers — it’s about patterns.
Balance matters: One higher-sugar snack won’t derail your goals if the rest of your diet is nutrient-dense.
Frequency matters: A treat food every so often is fine; it’s when ultra-processed foods dominate daily eating that health issues arise.
Context matters: If you’re an athlete, higher-carb foods may support performance. If you’re managing diabetes, fibre and carb quality become more important.
Final Thoughts
Food labels are powerful tools — once you know what to look for, you can shop with confidence and align your choices with your goals. Start with:
Checking the ingredients list.
Comparing fibre vs sugar.
Using per 100g for fair product comparisons.
Keeping serving sizes realistic.
Over time, these steps will become second nature and help you cut through the marketing to see what’s really in your food.
✨ Next step: Try picking two similar products (like cereals, muesli bars, or yoghurts) and compare them using these tips. You might be surprised by what you find!