MEPX
Chapter 6 of 10All chapters
  1. 1What food is made of
  2. 2Energy balance
  3. 3What is broadly agreed
  4. 4Why the science is hard
  5. 5Common myths
  6. 6Reading labels
  7. 7Diets
  8. 8Supplements
  9. 9Water, salt and alcohol
  10. 10Practical and honest

Chapter 6 of 10

Reading labels

What the packet tells you.

The panel

Check the serving size first, since figures are per serving and servings are often smaller than anyone eats. Then compare per 100 grams between products.

  • Ingredients are listed by weight, so the first three matter most.
  • Sugar appears under many names: syrup, nectar, dextrose, concentrate.

Front of pack claims

Low fat often means added sugar. Natural and clean have no regulated meaning. Traffic light and similar schemes are more informative than any marketing phrase.