Small changes can make a big difference to your health and well-being. With a little know-how, healthy eating habits can start to feel less complicated. Here, we'll share the essentials of nutrient literacy and how informed changes can lead to lasting improvements in how you shop, cook, and eat.
Why understanding food labels supports better health
Knowing what we are buying helps us understand what we eat. It also helps us create a balanced diet and make healthy food choices. When you can read food labels easily, you get a clearer view of what's in your food. This includes hidden sugars, salt, fibre, protein, and healthy fats.
Understanding food labels can help you to:
- manage portion sizes
- avoid over- or under-consumption
- choose options that support your well-being
- compare similar products to make small, impactful swaps
Increased awareness helps support a more balanced approach to eating. For example, looking at the ‘traffic light’ system or the nutrition table on packaging can help you pick options that suit your dietary needs. This is useful for goals like reducing salt or sugar intake. It’s about making informed choices, not being perfect. Learning to read labels, recognise portion sizes, and create balanced meals can be simple.
Understanding nutrition labels and ingredient lists
Learning how to read food labels helps you make informed choices about what you eat. Labels reveal key details about nutritional value, portion size, and ingredients. Once you know what to check, you can compare foods quickly and confidently.
Front of pack
In England, the front of most packaged food displays a simple summary. This often uses the traffic light system: green for low, amber for medium, and red for high. This way, you can see at a glance if food is low or high in fat, saturated fat, sugars, or salt. Foods with mostly green and amber overall can help support balanced eating.
What are reference intakes (RIs)?
Shown on packaging as part of food labels, RIs show how much of each nutrient a food product contributes to your daily guideline amount. These are based on the average adult consuming around 2,000 calories a day. Reference Intakes are written as the percentage contribution that the packaged food has toward the recommended daily intake of energy, fat, saturates, carbohydrates, sugar, protein, and salt.
Back of pack
The back of packages have a nutrient table that lists the values, typically per 100g or 100ml, and per portion. This makes it easier to compare similar products and to keep track of what fits your needs. It is mandatory in the UK that this nutrient table contains energy (calories/kcal/kj), fat, saturated, carbohydrates, sugars, protein and salt. Companies can opt to provide more information, such as that of the fibre content too.
Ingredients list
Ingredients are listed in weight order – the main ingredients appear first. Keep an eye out for sugars, salts, and saturated fats. Many experts suggest picking products with fewer, simpler ingredients as this often means they are less processed and more like whole foods. Ultra-processed foods are designed to be easy and appealing. However, these often have low or no real nutritional value. A growing body of research suggests that UPFs may be bad for us.
As of October 2021, Natasha’s Law requires food businesses to label pre-packaged food with a full ingredients list and, whenever present, emphasise the content of any of the 14 regulated allergens. This emphasis is shown via bolded text, italics or contrasting colours.
How the Eatwell Guide supports balanced eating
The Eatwell Guide shows how much we should eat from each food group for good health. We should aim for balance throughout the day or week, not perfection at every meal.
Created by Public Health England, the Eatwell Guide is based on scientific evidence and recommendations. It aims to support us in making healthy eating choices.
About a third of our food should be fruits and vegetables. This includes fresh, frozen, tinned, dried, or juiced options. Just remember to limit fruit juice and smoothies to 150 ml a day. Another third of your diet should be starchy carbs like potatoes, bread, rice, or pasta. Choose wholegrain or high-fibre options for lasting energy and better digestion.
Add protein sources such as beans, lentils, fish, eggs, nuts, and lean meats. These help with growth and repair. Also, include dairy or alternatives for calcium and strong bones. Use small amounts of unsaturated oils and spreads. They provide essential fatty acids and help keep saturated fat low.
The Eatwell Guide suggests drinking six to eight glasses of water daily. It also encourages lower-fat milks, lower-sugar and sugar-free drinks, tea, and coffee.
The NHS says the Eatwell Guide works for most people over two. However, if you have specific dietary or medical needs, talk to a registered dietitian for personalised advice.
How to understand portion sizes and serve balanced meals
Understanding portion sizes helps you to maintain a healthy, balanced diet. Food packaging portions can give a rough idea of how much to eat as a 'serving'. Packaged snacks, ready meals, and takeaways are often bigger than we need. That is where understanding recommended serving sizes for different food groups comes in.
Recommended portion sizes
Simple, visual ways of measuring portion sizes can help you get the right nutrients without overeating. Each of the following counts as one portion:
- Starch (pasta, rice, potatoes) - about the size of your fist.
- Protein (meat, eggs, fish, beans, pulses) - roughly the size of your palm.
- Cheese - around the size of two thumbs.
- Fruit - one medium apple or a handful of berries.
- Vegetables - two hands cupped together.
Using smaller plates, serving in the kitchen, and checking labels can all help with healthy portion control. Remember: You aren’t trying to measure everything perfectly. You’re aiming to improve your awareness of what balanced portions look like.
Using nutrient literacy to make healthier food choices
Boosting your nutrient literacy means knowing what's in your food and how it supports a healthy diet. This knowledge helps you make balanced and informed choices. Improving your nutrient literacy helps with planning, shopping, and cooking meals. It lets you see your eating habits and make small, lasting changes.
Checking nutrition labels lets you choose products with less sugar, salt, and saturated fats. This, in turn, helps support your physical health and well-being. Switching to wholegrain and high-fibre options can boost your energy and digestion. This change can also help you feel fuller for longer.
Learning to be nutrient literate isn’t about strict rules. It’s about balance – and helping you make healthy food choices. Being nutrient literate helps you choose nourishing foods while enjoying flexibility.
The Eatwell Guide is a great visual reminder when planning meals. Stick to roughly a third fruit and veg, a third starchy carbohydrates, and the rest a mixture of protein, dairy, and healthy fats.
By noticing your daily food choices, you can make balanced meals and build healthy eating habits that last.
FAQs: Your questions about food labels and nutrition answered
Food labels can feel confusing at first. Once you know what to look for, they become a simple, quick way of understanding what’s in your food. We answer some of your most frequently asked questions about food labels.
How to calculate net carbs on food labels?
In the UK, total carbohydrates exclude fibre, so the figure shown represents your net carbs. Simply use the “carbohydrates” value on the label – no extra calculation needed.
How to read calories on food labels?
Calories show the amount of energy in food. UK labels list them per 100g and often per portion. Use per-100g figures to compare products, and per-portion figures to understand how much energy you’ll actually consume. You will find the calorific content of a food item within the nutrition information table on the back of the pack. When present, this figure can also be visible as part of the front-of-pack traffic light labelling.
Working with a nutrition professional for personalised guidance
Everyone’s nutritional needs are different. If you have specific goals, follow a special diet like vegan or vegetarian, or have food allergies, consider working with a nutrition expert.
A professional can offer tailored advice to make sure you are meeting your body’s needs. They can help you learn to read food labels, plan balanced meals, and adjust guidelines for your lifestyle or health needs. They also make recommendations for managing sensitivities and intolerances while remaining balanced.
If you’re ready to find support, use our search tool to browse qualified nutrition professionals near you or online. When you find someone who feels like the right fit, you can email or call them directly. Working with a nutrition professional can help you feel more confident and supported as you build healthy, sustainable eating habits for your long-term wellbeing.
