Nutrition Labels: Decoding Food Packaging

Have you ever noticed how your favourite almond cookies often mention almonds almost as one of the last ingredient references in their ingredient list? Or perhaps you’ve picked up a snack labelled as ‘healthy,’ only to discover less-than-ideal ingredients tucked away in small print at the end. It’s a common experience to be drawn in by attractive packaging
For example, take those beloved hazelnut spreads gracing our breakfast tables. A closer look at their ingredients reveals a composition primarily of สนใจสมัคร? คลิกที่นี่เพื่อเริ่มต้น sugar and palm oil, with actual hazelnuts trailing behind. Despite their delicious reputation, a breakdown shows they are more about sugar and fat than the hazelnut delight they’re marketed as.
Nutrition labels, ingredient lists, and food labels are valuable sources of information. It reveals a lot about the food products people include in their daily diets. Still, it comes as no surprise that consumers often overlook or neglect the details provided on food packaging. Sometimes, there may be hidden issues within a product’s seemingly simple ingredients.
This analysis shows the importance of carefully reading nutritional information on product labels, particularly concerning food products that are often perceived or marketed as healthy. It doesn’t necessarily mean you should altogether avoid such products. However, taking the time to read and understand the nutrition label can help you make more conscious decisions.
What is a Nutrition Facts Label?
The “Nutrition Facts Label” is a specific part of the overall food label. As the name suggests, it covers detailed information about the nutritional content of the product. It provides details on serving size, calories, macronutrients (fats, carbohydrates, proteins), micronutrients (vitamins, minerals), and specific components like flavours, preservatives, and added sugars.
The nutrition facts label is typically placed in the primary or top section behind the packaging. However, its placement can vary among different food and beverage products. The bottom section of the label includes a footnote explaining the % Daily Value.
Types of Nutrition Labels
There are usually two types of nutrition facts labels. They are
Dual-column Labels
For products larger than a single serving but still suitable for one or multiple sittings, manufacturers use “dual-column” labels. These labels indicate the amounts of calories and nutrients on both a “per serving” and “per package” or “per unit” basis. Dual-column labelling enables consumers to quickly identify the caloric and nutrient content when consuming the entire package at once.
Single-ingredient Sugar labels
Single-ingredient Sugar labels refer to the nutrition labels on products like pure honey, pure maple syrup, or pure sugar. It may not always list the number of grams of added sugars in a serving. Still, they include a declaration of the % Daily Value for Added Sugars. It helps consumers know how a serving of these products adds to the Daily Value of added sugars in their overall diet.
The Four Components of Nutrition Label and What They Mean
Every nutritional facts label has the following four parts:
- Serving size represents the usual amount people eat or drink in one sitting. It is not a recommendation but instead reflects the typical portion size. All the nutritional information provided on the label, such as calories and nutrient amounts, refers to this specific serving size.
- Calories indicate the amount of energy provided by one serving.
- Nutrients in the Nutrition Facts label include a list of the nutrients in the foods and beverages.
- The Percent Daily Value (% DV) indicates the percentage of the recommended daily intake of a specific nutrient that is present in one serving of the food. A nutrient is high in a product if the DV value is 20%. It is low if the value is 5% DV or less.