Eating well

Reading Food Labels

Food labels help you compare products and make healthier choices — look at the colour-coded front-of-pack guide and the fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt content.

Written by Meds Global Health Clinical Team · Clinically reviewed by Dr Muhammad Suffyan, MB BS, Founder & Clinical Director · Last reviewed · How we review

What it means

Food labels show what is in a product, including its energy (calories) and the amounts of fat, saturated fat, sugars and salt. Many products carry a colour-coded (traffic light) label on the front to make comparisons quick.

Why it matters

Understanding labels helps you compare similar products, spot foods high in fat, sugar or salt, and choose healthier options — especially useful given how much salt and sugar is hidden in processed foods.

Practical tips

How to make it work

  • Use the front-of-pack traffic lights: more green and amber is generally healthier than lots of red.
  • Check whether figures are per portion or per 100 g, and how big a portion really is.
  • As a rough guide per 100 g, "high" is more than 17.5 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 22.5 g sugars or 1.5 g salt.
  • Compare similar products to find lower-salt, lower-sugar options.
  • Look at the ingredients list — items are listed in order of weight, so main ingredients come first.
  • Be aware that "low fat" can still mean high sugar, and vice versa.

Good to know. Marketing terms like "natural", "light" or "no added sugar" can be misleading — always check the actual nutrition information and ingredients rather than relying on claims on the front of the pack.

Answers

Reading Food Labels: frequently asked questions

What do the traffic light colours on food mean?

Green means low, amber medium and red high for fat, saturated fat, sugars and salt. Choosing products with more greens and ambers, and fewer reds, helps you pick healthier options at a glance.

Should I look at "per portion" or "per 100 g"?

Per 100 g is best for comparing two products fairly, as portion sizes differ between brands. Per portion tells you what you will actually eat — but check whether the stated portion matches how much you have.

Related

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Education and reference only. This is general UK health guidance, not personal medical or dietitian advice. If you have a health condition or specific needs, check with your GP, pharmacist or a registered professional before making big changes.

Sources

Where this is drawn from

  • NHS — Eat well & Live Well
  • British Dietetic Association (BDA)
  • UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN)

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