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Food Labels

Reading food labels is a valuable skill to master when you are aiming for healthy weight loss. However sometimes manufacturers' claims can be misleading, making it difficult to select healthy choices.

Nutritional Claims

The claims 'reduced fat', 'less fat' and '% fat' can be particularly confusing, so the best rule of thumb is to compare the 'per 100g' columns of their nutritional information. If a product claims 'less fat', it does not mean it contains less fat than an equivalent product.

If it says reduced fat – reduced from what?

There is a huge variation in the calorie and fat content of similar products - even those labelled with the same brand! So it's important to compare products based on their food labels rather than the nutritional claims on the front of their packets.

 

Check the calorie value per 100g or per serving for the product as a guide to whether it will be good for your weight loss program.

Many supermarkets colour code their products, they are trying to make this easier but make sure you read these carefully.

New Leaf have included a calories counting guide for common foods on this website, You can also get the same information in handbag sized booklet from our clinic.