Guide to Interpreting Nutritional Labels on Food Products

We explain how to identify and understand the key elements on nutritional labels so you can determine if a product is truly healthy.

Why is it important to read nutritional labels?

Food products are often covered with slogans like “light,” “sugar-free,” or “100% natural.” These phrases are designed to capture the consumer’s attention and highlight supposed benefits. However, they are often just marketing strategies that do not reflect the true composition of the food.

This is why it’s essential to learn how to read “the back”: the nutritional label. Here, you’ll find the real information about the ingredients and nutritional value of the product, which must meet official regulations to ensure transparency for the consumer.

Knowing which information is relevant and how to interpret it will allow you to make more informed decisions, protecting your health and that of your family.

How to interpret nutritional information

Although labels may seem complex, with numbers, scientific terms, and industrial processes, here we break down the key points to make them easier to understand.

1. Information should be easy to locate

The placement and clarity of the nutritional label are important. Make sure it is in a visible location and not hidden or blurred. If you find it hard to locate, it could be a sign that the product is trying to hide something.

2. Key nutritional label data

• Serving size: Indicates the amount a person would typically consume in one serving. For example, a 750 g box of cereal isn’t meant to be eaten all at once, but in 50 g servings.
• Servings per container: Shows how many servings are in the package. If a cereal box contains 750 g and a serving size is 50 g, the package contains 15 servings.
• Ingredient list: Ingredients are listed in order of quantity, from highest to lowest. If a food product contains more than 10 ingredients, it is often a sign that it is highly processed.
• Nutritional value table: This table includes components like fats, sugars, and sodium, which should be limited, as well as beneficial nutrients like fiber, vitamins, calcium, and iron. The amount of each nutrient is based on the serving size.

3. Recommended daily intake percentage

This percentage indicates how much of a nutrient a serving of the food contributes to the recommended daily intake. For example, if a cereal provides 9% of the daily recommended calcium per serving, you are consuming 9% of your daily calcium needs with that serving.

Additional important information

In addition to the nutritional table, it is crucial to review other information on the packaging:

• Expiration date: Always check the expiration date and, in some cases, the recommended time to consume the product after opening.
• Batch number: This number allows the origin of the product to be traced in case of quality or safety issues.
• Producer name: This information lets you investigate the origin and reputation of the manufacturer.

Warnings and notes

Some packaging includes warnings about potential allergens or usage restrictions for children, pregnant women, or people with specific health conditions. Be sure to read all the information, even if it seems secondary, to avoid risks.

Consult an expert

This guide provides basic information on how to interpret nutritional labels, but the best recommendation is to consult a health professional who can advise you according to your specific needs.

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