Serving Sizes
On most food labels in Australia, what is the serving size usually shown in?
What are Grams or Mililtres
If a label says “per 100g” has 20g of sugar, is that a low, medium, or high sugar food?
What is high?
In an ingredients list, are ingredients listed in order of weight or alphabetically?
What is weight?
True or false: The “use-by” date means the food might be unsafe to eat after that date.
What is true?
On the Health Star Rating system, is a higher number of stars healthier or less healthy?
What is healthier?
If a food label says a pack contains 2.5 servings, and the serving size is 200g, how much does the whole pack weigh?
What is 500g
What’s the maximum recommended daily sodium intake for an average adult, according to Australian guidelines?
What is 2000mg or 2grams?
This is always listed first in an ingredients list.
What is the highest weight ingredient?
What’s the difference between a “best before” date and a “use-by” date?
What is safety versus quality?
Can a product have a high Health Star Rating but still be high in sugar? Why or why not?
What is yes, because it has multiple factors like fibre and protein?
This nutrient should be limited to less than 2,300 mg per day for most adults, according to Australian Dietary Guidelines.
What is sodium?
If an ingredient appears as “sugar, invert sugar, glucose syrup” on the label, this is an example of this labelling trick.
What is sugar splitting?
The Health Star Rating is based on the balance of positive nutrients and these “risk” nutrients, which include sugar, saturated fat, and this mineral.
What is sodium or salt?
The nutrition panel shows values per serve and this second measurement to help you compare products.
What is 100g or 100ml?
Words like “lite” or “natural” on packaging are examples of this type of strategy.
What is marketing spin or persuasive language?
A packet of biscuits says “Serving size: 25 g.” Each biscuit weighs 12.5 g. How many biscuits are in one serve?
Eating too much salt over time can lead to this serious health problem, which increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.
What is high blood pressure?
Two yoghurts both have 4 Health Stars. One is sweetened with fruit, the other with added sugar. Which might still be the healthier choice and why?
If a food has 800 kJ per serve and the pack has 5 serves, how many total kilojoules are in the pack?
What is 4000kj
A muesli bar has 2.5 Health Stars but is promoted as “low fat.” What might be the reason its star rating is still low?
What is it may be still high in sugar or salt?
This tactic is when a company lists “per serve” nutrition info for a snack pack but makes the whole pack contain two or more serves—hoping you won’t notice and will eat the lot.
What is portion splitting?
A cereal has 24 g of sugar per 100 g. By what percentage does this exceed the “high sugar” threshold of 15 g/100 g?
What is 60%
This ingredient is often used instead of “salt” on labels, but still contains sodium and can raise blood pressure.
What is monosodium glutamate (MSG)?
This part of the food label must appear in the same field of view as the product name, and lists important storage instructions.
What is the storage statement?
A product with a low Health Star Rating can still be promoted as “healthy” because companies rely on this marketing tactic instead of improving the food itself.
What is health washing?