A Q and A on Food Labels
Food Labels: straight answers to the questions people actually ask, with the figures behind them.
The nutrition panel, ingredients list and front-of-pack traffic lights required on packaged food.
Key takeaways
- Column to compare products with: per 100g
- High sugar: more than 22.5g per 100g
- Most useful single change: Compare two products using the per-100g column only.
- Commonest mistake: Comparing products on manufacturer-chosen portion sizes.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
What is Food Labels?
The nutrition panel, ingredients list and front-of-pack traffic lights required on packaged food.
Why does it matter?
Three numbers and one column answer almost every question a shopper has, and most people read the marketing on the front instead.
Column to compare products with for Food Labels?
Per 100g.
High sugar for Food Labels?
More than 22.5g per 100g.
High salt for Food Labels?
More than 1.5g per 100g.
High saturated fat for Food Labels?
More than 5g per 100g.
What is the single most useful thing to do?
Compare two products using the per-100g column only.
What is the most common mistake?
Comparing products on manufacturer-chosen portion sizes.
When should I see a doctor?
Ask a GP or dietitian for tailored advice rather than relying on label thresholds if you have been told to follow a specific diet for kidney disease, heart failure, diabetes or coeliac disease. Always check allergen information, which is required to be emphasised in the ingredients list.
Where to go next
- Food Labels in Five Minutes
- The Evidence on Food Labels, Without the Hype
- Food Labels — the reference entry
- What the Guidance Really Says About Meal Planning
- Vitamin D: What the Evidence Actually Says
When to speak to a doctor
Ask a GP or dietitian for tailored advice rather than relying on label thresholds if you have been told to follow a specific diet for kidney disease, heart failure, diabetes or coeliac disease. Always check allergen information, which is required to be emphasised in the ingredients list.
Where this comes from
- NHS — Food labels
- Food Standards Agency — front of pack labelling
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.
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