Understanding Nutrient and Health Claims

Food labelling laws are governed by the food standards code, which is administrated by the Australia New Zealand Health Authority (ANZFA). These laws are in place, in an effort to reduce the number of misleading nutrient and health claims on food labels.

Nutrient claims often promote foods as being 'healthy' however, they may not be always what you actually think. An example is the claim "Light" or "Lite".

This label doesn't necessarily mean that the product is low in fat or kilojoules. "Light" could refer to the texture, colour or taste of the product or may also refer to the sugar or salt content.

The characteristic being lightened must be stated on the label.
For example:  

• Light potato crisps are thinly sliced and lightly salted (but may still have as much fat as normal crisps and as many kilojoules in a packet)
• Light beer is low in alcohol
• Light olive oil is light in flavour and colour (its usually less than 15% virgin olive oil) but contains the same fat and kilojoules as other oils.
• Light cheese has less fat and salt
• Light margarine (spread) has less fat

Hence you must not rely on only the claim on the label to select your food.

In the “The Healthy Shopping Guide”, you can learn more about what other claims on labels really mean.

Nutrient and Health Claims covered in this book include:

Reduced fat Light or lite Low fat or low in fat % fat free ' No added sugar' Sugar free All natural Toasted or oven baked

Salt reduced Low salt Pick the tick Carbohydrate modified Diet, low joule or low calorie Cholesterol free Cooked in vegetable oil