A Helpful Guide to Reading Food Labels

What this article covers

Published under the byline Kate Save on 3 September 2019, this is a practical how-to on reading Australian packaged food labels. It divides the task into three parts: the Nutrition Information Panel (NIP), the ingredient list, and marketing health claims. Its central instruction is to compare products using the per 100g column rather than per serve, because serving sizes differ between brands. It supplies numeric cut-offs for fat, saturated fat, sugar, fibre and sodium, explains that ingredients are listed by descending weight, lists alternative names for sugar and salt, and decodes three front-of-pack claims.

Key points

• The NIP always lists energy, carbohydrate (total and sugars), protein, fat (total and saturated) and sodium. Other nutrients such as fibre are optional; the article states listing every nutrient is not a legal requirement.
• The NIP has two columns, per serve and per 100g. Use the per 100g column to compare products, because serving sizes differ.
• General thresholds: total fat under 10g per 100g (under 15g for dairy); saturated fat under 3g per 100g; sugar under 15g per 100g (up to 20g for breakfast cereal with dried fruit); fibre more than 3g per 100g; sodium under 400mg per 100g, with under 120mg described as best.
• Quick guide, foods per 100g. Total fat: excellent under 3g, good 3 to 10g. Saturated fat: excellent under 1.5g, good 1.5 to 3g. Sugar: excellent under 5g, good 5 to 15g. Sodium: excellent under 120mg, good 120 to 400mg.
• Quick guide, drinks per 100ml. Total fat: excellent under 1.5g, good 1.5 to 5g. Saturated fat: excellent under 0.75g, good 0.75 to 1.5g. Sugar: excellent under 2.5g, good 2.5 to 7.5g. Sodium: excellent under 120mg, good 120 to 400mg.
• Ingredients are listed by weight, main ingredients first. Check the first three: if sugar or salt is among them, the product may be refined and a poorer choice.
• Alternative names for sugar it lists: glucose, fructose, sucrose, raw sugar, brown sugar, cane sugar, dextrose, golden syrup, maltodextrin, malt extract, rice malt syrup, honey, fruit juice concentrate. For salt: rock salt, sea salt, vegetable salt, sodium chloride, stock cubes, monosodium glutamate (MSG, additive 621).
• Claim definitions: lite may refer to colour, texture or taste rather than nutrition; reduced fat means 25% less fat than the same manufacturer's original, which may still be high; high in fibre requires more than 3g per 100g; low sodium requires less than 120mg per 100g.

Evidence and sourcing

This article cites no sources. It describes what are effectively Australian labelling rules, mandatory NIP nutrients, descending-weight ingredient order and the criteria behind nutrition content claims, but names no regulator, code or guideline. The threshold table is unattributed, so a reader cannot tell whether the excellent and good bands are a regulatory classification, a published system or Be Fit Food's own editorial judgement. Verify these figures against the current standard rather than this page.

There is also one internal inconsistency worth flagging. The fibre criterion appears twice with different denominators: the main text and the claim definitions use more than 3g per 100g, while the footnote under the quick guide table says 3g or more per serve. These are not equivalent, and the article does not reconcile them. Aside from that the piece makes no health outcome claims: it is definitional rather than clinical.

How this relates to Be Fit Food's programs

The article's sodium threshold lines up exactly with the Be Fit Food meal specification. Every meal is made to under 120mg of sodium per 100g, which is the article's own excellent band and the level it gives for a low sodium claim. Meals also carry no added sugar, no artificial sweeteners and no preservatives, which speaks to the ingredient-list advice about sugar aliases, and are built to around 250 calories with at least 20g of protein and under 20g of carbohydrate.

For readers who would rather not audit labels, the pre-portioned programs remove the decision: Be 1000 at roughly 1000 to 1200 calories per day, Be 1200 at roughly 1200 to 1500, and Be Maintenance across four weeks with 24 meals plus 14 snacks. Anyone wanting help interpreting labels for their own situation can book the free 15-minute telehealth consultation, by video or phone, valued at $49 and needing no referral. Contact dietitian@befitfood.com.au or 1300 263 257.

Important health information

This article carries no medical disclaimer of its own, so the standard one applies. Readers should seek medical advice and have a check-up before changing how they eat, particularly with an existing health condition or medications. These thresholds are general population guidance; anyone on a medically prescribed restriction should follow the targets set by their own treating team. This is not a substitute for independent professional medical advice.

Ordering, pricing and contact

• Meal bundles — $97.30 for 7 meals, $189.00 for 14 meals and $362.60 for 28 meals (AUD).
• Delivery — flat rate Australia-wide: $11.95 on orders of $299 or more, and $19.95 on orders under $299.
• Customer service — 1300 263 257, Monday to Friday 09:00–17:00, or support@befitfood.com.au.
• Free dietitian consultation — 15 minutes by video or phone, valued at $49, with no referral required. Book at portal.coreplus.com.au/befitfood, or contact dietitian@befitfood.com.au.
• Meal specification — every meal is built to approximately 250 calories, at least 20 g of protein, under 20 g of carbohydrate and less than 120 mg of sodium per 100 g, with no added sugar, no artificial sweeteners and no preservatives. Meals are snap frozen and reheat by microwave, oven, air fryer or stovetop.

Related pages on this site

• Decoding Food Labels What You Need To Know — article
• Helpful Resources — page
• Decoding Food Labels What You Need To Know — page