Nutrition labels can make everyday food choices easier when you know where to look. On pre-packed foods, the per-100g or per-100ml column offers a consistent way to compare similar products, whether you are shopping for crackers, instant oats or a snack for your desk drawer.
Start with the nutrition table
Food labels usually list energy and key nutrients, including fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, sugars, protein and salt. Some products also include fibre. The NHS guide to reading food labels explains that these values are given per 100g or per 100ml, and may also be shown per portion.
Portion information can be useful, but manufacturer portions vary and may not reflect the amount you normally eat. Comparing the per-100g figures first gives you a like-for-like basis when choosing between similar foods.
A simple comparison routine
- Choose similar products. Compare two types of crackers, two instant oat products or two snack bars, rather than unrelated foods.
- Check the nutrients most relevant to the choice. For example, look at salt and saturated fat when comparing crackers, or sugars when comparing instant oats.
- Then check the ingredients. Ingredients are listed by weight, so the first few ingredients give helpful context for the nutrition table.
Use the front of pack as a quick prompt
Where available, front-of-pack labels can provide a quick view of energy, fat, saturated fat, sugars and salt. Colour coding indicates high, medium and low amounts: red, amber and green. When comparing similar products, options with more greens and ambers and fewer reds may be a useful starting point. The full nutrition table and ingredients list can then help you look more closely.
Put it into everyday practice
At a convenience shop, you might compare two packets of crackers before being swayed by a promotion or price label. Check the per-100g salt and saturated-fat figures, then review the ingredients near the top of each list.
At home, compare two instant oat products by looking at their per-100g sugars figures and ingredients. For a workplace snack, check the stated serving size and consider how much of the pack you are actually likely to eat. This helps keep a per-portion figure in perspective.
Keep the approach practical
You do not need to analyse every item in your trolley. Starting with foods you buy regularly can build familiarity with labels over time. For more everyday health information, visit ISAW Medical.
This article is for general education and does not replace personalised advice from a qualified healthcare professional.