NUTRITION LABELS

WHY THE BACK OF THE LABEL IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE FRONT

In a world of misleading food packaging, nutrition labels become your trusty guide to making healthy choices. They provide valuable information about calories, macronutrients, and micronutrients, empowering you to take control of your health and make mindful decisions.

Understanding nutrition labels helps you uncover the genuine nutritional value of a product. By focusing on serving size, calories, and scrutinizing fat, sugar content, and protein, you can navigate the grocery store with confidence, making choices that support your well-being.

Armed with this knowledge, read on, as we decode and provide you with some hacks for reading nutrition labels. Discover tips and expert advice to unmask misleading packaging and make informed choices that propel you towards your nutrition goals.

The Front Is Marketing, the Back Is Information

The front of a package is there to sell you the product. Food companies can highlight one positive feature while hiding less ideal ingredients. A bar can be “high protein” and still loaded with sugar, or “low fat” but full of refined carbs.

The back panel—the nutrition information panel and ingredients list—is regulated and factual. This is where you’ll find what actually matters.

What to Look For on the Back

1. Serving Size
Many foods look “healthy” until you realise the packet contains two or three servings. Always check whether the numbers apply to what you’ll realistically eat.

2. Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fats
These give you a clearer picture of how the food supports your goals, whether that’s performance, fat loss, or general health.

3. Sugar Content
Don’t just look for “sugar-free” claims. Check total sugars and scan the ingredients for multiple sugar sources (they often hide under different names).

4. Ingredients List
Ingredients are listed from most to least. A shorter list with recognisable foods usually means less processing.

Knowledge = Better Choices

Reading the back of the label puts you back in control. You don’t need to avoid packaged foods entirely—but understanding what’s inside them helps you make choices that align with your training, recovery, and long-term health.

Health Star Ratings

The Health Star Rating is voluntary, so not all products will have one. Health Star Ratings are a quick way to compare how healthy packaged foods are within their category, for example comparing one brand of muesli bars to another. You’ll find them on the front of food packaging. When comparing similar foods, go for the option with the most stars.

Next time you shop, flip the package over. Your body will thank you.

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