Buying packaged food can sometimes seem overwhelming because of the mandated need for all the information that is required. However, the Nutrition Information Panel – or NIP, as it is often called – is designed to help consumers understand the ‘healthiness’ of a product [1].
The NIP is designed to outline the average amount of energy, protein, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, sugars and sodium in a product. This is shown per serve and per 100g (or 100ml). Any nutritional claims made on the front of the pack such as ‘good source calcium’ must be shown on the nutrition information panel.
Here’s a nutrition label for Marmite:
What to look for on the NIP
Firstly, it’s best to look at the ‘Per 100g’ column if you are doing comparisons between products or calculating the amount of fat/sugar/salt on a percentage basis. (The ‘Per Serve’ column, however, is useful for measuring the amount you are eating. Take breakfast cereals, for example, where a serve can range around 35g to 45g or more, depending what is in the product.)
Fat
When choosing packaged products, we should aim for the total fat content to be below 10g per 100g. More importantly, having saturated fat below 2g per 100g. This is due to strong evidence that eating less saturated fat lowers your risk of cardiovascular disease [3].
Sugar
The next thing we should aim for is a total sugar content under 10g per 100g, or if the product contains dried fruit this value should be under 15g. Reducing your sugar intake can decrease your risk of dental cavities, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. [4]
Sodium (salt)
This should be under 300mg per 100g. Adults are recommended to have only 1500mg per day, because having too much sodium can increase our blood pressure over time, increasing the risk of developing heart disease, kidney disease and having a stroke [5].
Dietary fibre
Aim for above 6g per 100g if it appears on the label. This will help promote good gut health and to help lower cholesterol levels [6].
Have a look at the packaged products in your cupboard and decide if they fit the above criteria. It could be time for a simple product swap to achieve better health.
(see also our article on Food Labels).
References
1. Nutrition information panels. Food Standards Australia and New Zealand. 2015 [cited 7 June 2017]. Available from: http://www.foodstandards.govt.nz/consumer/labelling/panels/Pages/default.aspx
2. Nutrition Information User Guide to Standard 1.2.8 – Nutrition Information Requirements. Food Standards Australia and New Zealand. 2013 [cited 8 June 2017]. Available from:
http://www.foodstandards.govt.nz/code/userguide/Documents/Userguide_Prescribed%20Nutrition%20Information%20Nov%2013%20Dec%202013.pdf
3. Hooper L, Martin N, Abdelhamid A, Davey Smith G. Reduction in saturated fat intake for cardiovascular disease. The Cochrane Library. 2015 Jan 1.
4. Added Sugars; Healthy Eating Tips. Dietitians of Canada. PEN Database. 2016.
5. Healthy Eating Guidelines for Reducing Your Sodium Intake. Dietitians of Canada. PEN Database. 2005.
6. Healthy Eating Guidelines for Increasing Your Fibre Intake. Dietitians of Canada. PEN Database. 2008.
