Marika Day: How to decode food packaging

Growing up, I never paid too much attention to what was on food packaging. I chose my food based purely on what I felt like eating, and I was probably most influenced by the marketing messages on the front of the package. It wasn’t until I started studying nutrition that I began paying attention to what is printed on the back, and how vital those details are to our health.

Proper labelling is extremely valuable to us as consumers, as it helps us know exactly what’s in our food and whether it’s safe to eat. Allergen information and expiry dates should always be the first thing we look at when we inspect packaging.

I have one big tip when it comes to looking at food packaging: don’t trust the marketing message on the front (e.g. Better for you, high in protein, all-natural, etc). Always flip the product over to find the real story on the back.

In Australia, ingredients are listed in order from highest to lowest percentage, which gives you a relatively good idea of what’s inside your food at a glance.

I recommend making sure an ingredient list is not excessively long. A good rule of thumb is 10-15 ingredients. If you see 30 ingredients, each one with numbers and additives you can’t recognise, it’s best to stay away. Protein bars and similar “health foods” are notorious for doing this; they cram lines and lines of ingredients into tiny font on the packaging. It’s important to know how to separate claims from the reality of what you’re putting in your body.

The 10-15 ingredient rule also applies when checking for ingredient substitutes. Food companies know that certain ingredients aren’t great for you – so they’ll try their best to substitute more “friendly” names into the ingredient list to entice you to buy their products.

Sugar is an especially tricky one – there are a tonne of ways manufacturers can make sugar sound like a different ingredient, especially in syrups. A common sugar substitute to watch out for is maltodextrin and its many numerical variants.

When it comes to their packaging, there are three different types of claims food manufacturers can make: nutrient content claims, general health claims and high-level health claims. The two health claims differ in scale and scientific backing, so it’s good to know what to keep an eye out for.

General level health claims would mention how a certain nutrient has been known to be associated with a certain health benefit. High-level health claims often tie in a disease and how consuming this product can help reduce your risk of developing it.

Let’s use calcium as an example. A general health claim would be “calcium is good for bone strength”, while “consuming this calcium-rich product will reduce your risk of osteoporosis” is a high-level health claim.

Nutrient content claims revolve around how much of a certain nutrient is within the product. Seems straightforward, right? As with everything, it helps to read these claims discerningly.

In Australia, I consider nutrition content claims – statements like “high in calcium” or “high in fibre” – to be fairly accurate, as they must meet a set of criteria set by the FSANZ (Food Standards Australia and New Zealand).

Where it can get confusing is when nutrition claims are made per serving. For example, a product can claim it’s a good source of dietary fibre if it has four grams of fibre per serve, but the company can simply make up what the serving size is, which might mislead consumers. A high-fibre cereal may only offer that health benefit if your serving size matches what the product indicates. Pay attention to the serving size when you’re comparing products – the calculator on your phone will help you out here.

When comparing two food products in the same category, it can often be more helpful to focus on the 100g column rather than the serving size column, so you’re comparing apples with apples – so to speak.

This is a lot to remember when you’re out grocery shopping and staring at all the packages in the aisles. I recommend searching the Australian Food Composition Database on the FSANZ website. A reliable source of truth for nutritional content, the database breaks a tonne of different products down to their molecular content, so you can find out what exactly you’re eating. The website also allows you to set your own custom serving size, so you can easily compare different food side-by-side.

We’ve all seen the health star ratings on our packaged food in the supermarket. The ratings range from 0 to 5 and are meant to be a general measure of “healthiness”. But don’t be fooled – the health star system is not an accurate measure of nutrition.

Health star ratings are a way for people to compare one processed food to another. Star grades are based on a few different criteria including calories, saturated fat, salt and total sugar – each of which lowers the product’s star rating. To increase it, food manufacturers can add beneficial ingredients like fibre, fruits and vegetables. That means a sugary cereal may earn more stars if it has sultanas and a little extra fibre in it.

Of course, the simplest type of packaging to decipher is none at all. If your budget and lifestyle allow it, try to add more fruits, vegetables and fresh fish to your basket. Tinned legumes and vegetables are excellent too. They're very nutritious and a good can of tomatoes can be on par with a fresh one – especially when they’re out of season. An emphasis on fresh, unlabelled food is a great shopping philosophy, but when you do need to pick up packaged items, you know how to choose what’s best for you.

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Marika Day is a nutritionist and Accredited Practising Dietitian who knows what the body needs to function at its best. With more than five years’ experience in the health and fitness industry, Marika's holistic approach to diet and exercise is tried and true. The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances.