Food is fuel for the body. The body needs fuel to burn �so that it can function and survive.
As you go about your day, your body burns the fuel provided by the food you’ve eaten.
Food is fuel for the body. The body needs fuel to burn so that it can function and survive.
As you go about your day, your body burns the fuel provided by the food you’ve eaten.
Quick-fire Buddy Discussion�
What’s your favourite food and why?
Food is fuel for the body. The body needs fuel to burn �so that it can function and survive.
As you go about your day, your body burns the fuel provided by the food you’ve eaten.
Needing food as fuel for our bodies is the same principle as a car needing petrol or charging an electric vehicle so that they can get around.
The First Thing to Know
Food is fuel for the body. The body needs fuel to burn �so that it can function and survive.
As you go about your day, your body burns the fuel provided by the food you’ve e
Your body converts the food you eat into energy, which is measured in calories. The more active you are, the more energy (and calories) you will need and use (or burn).
�When you’re going on a long car trip, you’ll often need �to stop along the way to get more fuel or energy to get �to your destination.
Food is fuel for the body. The body needs fuel to burn �so that it can function and survive.
In the same way our bodies need to refuel during the day - breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, etc.
Food is fuel for the body. The body needs fuel to burn �
so that it can function and survive.
As you go about your day, your body burns the fuel provided by the food you’ve eaten.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is the organisation that is responsible for our food standards. They make sure food is safe and that consumers (like you) have the relevant and accurate information to make choices about the food they eat.
�Having food labels on products are an important part of the standards all food manufacturers need to comply with.
The Second Thing to Know
Kilojoules or calories are the units that measure how much energy you get from consuming food or drink.
Your muscles, organs and immune system are made up mostly of proteins. We eat proteins found in foods like eggs, nuts, beans, fish, meat and milk, to help build, maintain and replace the proteins in our body.
There are different kinds of fats in food and we need �to have small amount of fat as part of a healthy diet. It gives us energy and keeps our bodies warm and functioning well.
These fats are found in things like butter, coconut oil, chocolate and cream. Too much of this kind of fat can be unhealthy.
Vocab You Need to Know... Before You Read a Food Label!
Food is f
fuel
kilojoule (kJ)
calorie
Food is f
fuel
protein
Food is f
fuel
fat
Food is f
fuel
saturated fat
These are sugars, starches and fibre found in fruits, grains, vegetables and milk products. They break down in our bodies into simple sugars.
Sugars can be found naturally in fruits and things like honey and maple syrup. Large amounts of added sugar in products can be unhealthy.
Fibre is only found in plant foods such as cereals, cereal based foods, fruits and vegetables. They’re an important part of a healthy diet.
Sodium (Na) is a mineral found naturally in food. �Salt (sodium chloride NaCl) is what is added to food. Too much salt in our diet can be unhealthy.
Vocab You Need to Know... Before You Read a Food Label!
Food is f
fuel
carbohydrate
Food is f
fuel
sugar
Food is f
fuel
dietary fibre
Food is f
fuel
sodium
These are substances that provide nourishment �essential for life.
Used for measurement of solids.
grams: 1000g = 1 kilogram (kg)
micrograms: 1000mg = 1g
Vitamins are found in plants or living things. Minerals are found in soil and water. We need both to maintain our immune system, support normal growth and development and help our cells and organs do their jobs.
Used for measurement of liquids.
Litres: 1000ml = 1 litre (L)
millilitres: 1ml = 0.001L
Vocab You Need to Know... Before You Read a Food Label!
Food is f
fuel
vitamins
minerals
Food is f
fuel
nutrients
Food is f
fuel
gram (g)
microgram (mg)�
Food is f
fuel
litre (L)
millilitre (ml)
What’s on a food label?
2. Nutrition Information Panel (NIP)
This gives you all the information about the nutrition and key nutrients in the food. It must show the average amount of energy, protein, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, sugars and sodium present.
�The information must be listed in two ways:
This measure is standard and makes it easy to compare with other products.
�Sometimes the NIP will also show how many calories or energy there is per serving.
�Exact recommendations from nutritionists and medical professionals can vary, but generally a diet that is lower in saturated fat, sugar and sodium is the healthier way to go.
What’s on a food label?
3. Ingredients�
Most packaged foods are required to have an ingredient list.
Did you know? The ingredients must be listed from largest to smallest by weight or percentage. So if sugar is listed first, it’s the principal ingredient. In this case, it’s oats (66%).
Top Tip! When you’re reading a NIP look at the first three ingredients as they will often make up the bulk of the product.
What’s on a food label?
4. Characterising Ingredients�
Manufacturers have to show the percentage of the ingredients that characterise their product. This example is a cashew and raspberry muesli, so they have shown the percentage of cashews (19%) and the percentage of raspberries (8%).
What’s on a food label?
5. Allergy Information�
All labels must clearly show any major allergens such as shellfish, egg, fish, gluten, milk, peanuts, sesame seeds, soybeans, and tree nuts (almonds, cashews and walnuts).
Colourings or preservatives added to the food must also be on the label. On our list, you can see that emulsifier (472) has been added. If the manufacturer has only listed numbers, you’ll need to find a codebreaking list online to identify the additives. (Check out the FSANZ website for lists of additives you can download.)
What’s on a food label?
7. Country of Origin
Manufacturers can choose to list where their ingredients are from. �Wine is the only food product that must have a country of original label.
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What’s on a food label?
8. Product Identification
Every label must show where the food was made and by which manufacturer. If customers have issues or complains about the food, they know who to contact.
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What’s on a food label?
9. Dates & Batch Number
The batch number is important to know if a food needs to be recalled. Sometimes food is discovered to be unsafe for consumers, often because it may have been contaminated.
�A product that has a short shelf life (like dairy products, etc) must have a clearly marked use by date. This tells you that eating it after that date could make you sick because the food may have spoiled.
Products that have a longer shelf life (like canned foods, etc) need to have a best before date.
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What’s on a food label?
10. Use & Storage
Some foods need to be stored in a certain way, such as refrigeration. Manufacturers must show this information on their labels.
�If there are any special instructions about how the food should be prepared so it’s safe to eat, this also needs to be on the label.
What’s on a food label?
Action!
Now you’ve got all the information you need to be able to read and understand food labels, put it into action next time you’re at the supermarket!
�Check out some food labels and make comparisons between products.
Then you’ll be able to make some informed choices about the food you eat!
Want to practice your food label reading skills? Have a go at this activity either on paper or as a digital version.