Food labelling

They're supposed to provide nutritional information, but in some cases food labels don't always reveal the whole truth. We uncover the hidden messages behind the labelling.

Who'd have ever thought that shopping for food could be so stressful? Not only do we seem to be greeted with some new food scare every other week, but now even the labels that are meant to be guiding us through our nutritional minefield are at worst misleading, and at the very least in need of an expert translator to make head or tail of what they mean. Try following these tips the next time you hit the supermarket.

Big four, little four
Nutritional information broadly comes in two categories – the 'big four' outline how much energy (amount of kilojoules or kilocalories), protein, carbohydrate and fat is in a product. More detailed labels include these along with the 'little four' – information on saturates, sugar, fibre and sodium.

Be aware that these are commonly listed per 100g of the product. If you're eating 400g of a pasta ready meal with 220 kilocalories per 100g, you need to multiply that amount by four to get a true indication of the energy value of the food (and anything else listed). It's all too easy to deceive ourselves that we're consuming less than we really are, so be aware of it whenever you shop.

Lower-fat equals healthy and other fat-related myths…
Oh, how we rejoiced when the potato gods invented reduced-fat crisps. Sadly, it was all too good to be true. Of course, 33% reduced fat means that 67% of it's still in there, so it's time to stop kidding yourself. And check out that other classic manufacturing trick – low fat might mean high in sugar or salt, each of which bring health risks of their own.

That said, it's a myth that all fats are bad. Nuts and avocados, for example, contain fine examples of good fats that the body needs – within reason. However, hydrogenated fats (created when liquid fats are turned into solids) are bad news. The process can produce a type of trans fat that raises cholesterol levels in the blood and can, in turn, increase the risk of heart disease.

Trans fats (or trans fatty acids) don't have to be listed separately on labels. So look out for – and avoid – hydrogenated vegetable fats, which they're usually found in. It's a good idea to lower the number of saturated fats you eat too (commonly found in spreads, cheese, pies, sausages and – sob! – cakes and chocolate). Go for monounsaturated fats, which are neutral for heart disease (olive oil's a good source), and polyunsaturated fats to help lower blood cholesterol levels.

Meaty issues
There's been a lot of publicity recently about supermarkets selling meat that has been 'enhanced' with other ingredients – injections of animal protein and water into chicken, ham and bacon for example, to bulk out portions and, allegedly, keep them tender.

This questionable practice is not illegal, but it does raise issues about the provenance of what you're eating. On the plus side, all products treated this way have to be labelled – so read the small print carefully. But if you care about where your meat comes from, stick to organic or free-range products. That way you avoid other nasties, such as GM ingredients and antibiotics in the animal's feed and are assured they're raised in more humane conditions.

What sodium means to salt
Commonly, salt is listed as sodium on products. This is sensible when you consider that it's the sodium that can be harmful when consumed beyond the recommended limits, but potentially confusing when it comes to food labelling. As salt is made up of sodium (around 42%) and chloride, you should roughly double the sodium amount listed to work out your recommended daily salt allowance (2.5g of sodium is ideal).

The A-E of food labelling
E numbers were first introduced in Europe to regulate the labelling of food additives – vital if you need to avoid something you're allergic to, for instance – and only those that have been approved for general consumption are prefixed by the letter E. (Go to www.eatwell.gov.uk for more information.)

However in recent years, some E numbers and other additives (popular for adding flavour and colour to foods or to thicken or increase the shelf-life of foods) have been associated with health scares – perhaps the most famous of these are tartrazine (E102) and sunset yellow (E110), both of which are alleged to cause hyperactivity and/or allergic reactions in children. Visit http://www.ukfoodguide.net/enumeric.htm for a full list of approved E numbers and their possible side-effects.

Broadly speaking, the less processed something is, the better it is for you. So try to cut back on the ready meals or look for foods with all-natural ingredients, avoiding additives altogether wherever possible. If you're not sure and don't want to be at risk, it's best to steer clear.

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