Food Labels and Recipe Modification Applying the Principles of Nutrition to a Physical Activity Programme

Learning outcomes Outline the information displayed on food packaging (current EU legislation) Evaluate the information given on an ingredients list Describe the nutritional information given on a food label Calculate the percentage of energy derived from fats, carbohydrates and proteins Explain the Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) labelling system Explain the Traffic Light labelling system Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the above information in providing consumers with clear information and guidelines which will help them achieve a healthy, balanced diet Discuss how nutrition claims made on food packaging can be misleading Explain how different food preparation methods can facilitate healthy eating (recipe modification) Explain how to make healthier food choices when eating out/ordering a takeaway meal

What information should be displayed? The name of the food The weight of the food Any special storage considerations An indication of minimum durability - a ‘best before’ date Place of origin if there is a chance that the consumer could be misled Pictures on foods must be honest and not misleading In 2004 the Genetically Modified (GM) labelling rules came into force List of Ingredients Nutritional information must be given if a claim is made on the packaging, i.e. ‘low in fat’ or ‘high in fibre. The nutritional breakdown should be for a 100g/100ml serving. EU Food Information for Consumers Regulation (FIR) 2011 provides EU rules on general and nutrition labelling. These regulations replace current UK law. Most requirements do not apply until 2014 and nutrition labelling will become mandatory by 2016. The Food Information for Consumer Regulation (FIR), designed to make food labelling easier to understand for consumers, has been published by the European Union. www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/10/nutrition-labelling

List of ingredients Ingredients are listed in descending order of weight May also indicate: The use of inexpensive bulk ingredients The use of additives such as colourings, flavourings, artificial sweeteners and preservatives

Nutrition label Nutrition label shows: Total energy (in both kJ and kcal) Fat (g) Carbohydrate (g) Protein (g) May also show: Proportion of fats that are saturated/unsaturated Proportion of carbohydrates that are sugars/starches

Calculating % energy derived from fats, carbs and proteins Food label shows fats, carbs and proteins as grams Need to convert these to kcal to calculate a true percentage

Example: Calculate percentage kcal from fat Nutrition label: Multiply the grams of fat by 9 (9kcal per gram) to get the amount in calories: 3 x 9kcal = 27kcal Divide this number by the energy (kcal): 27 divided by 70 = 0.385 Multiply this number by 100 to get the percentage = 38.5% Energy 291kJ/70kcal Protein 3g Carbohydrate 8g Fat

Percentage carbohydrate = ? Now calculate percentage kcal from protein and carbohydrate Nutrition label: Percentage protein = ? Percentage carbohydrate = ? Energy 291kJ/70kcal Protein 3g Carbohydrate 8g Fat

Guideline daily amount (GDA)

GDA labelling GDAs are a guide to the total amount of energy and nutrients that a healthy adult should be eating per day The energy GDA values (2500kcals for males and 2000kcals for females) take account of the current activity levels and lifestyle of the ‘average person’, which is considered to be fairly sedentary GDAs for fats and saturates are derived from the dietary reference values of these nutrients as published by the Department of Health (1991) For salt, the GDA is based on the 6g per day as recommended by COMA (1994) and then confirmed by SANC (Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition) 2003 Note that GDAs on food packaging always use the female figures as a standard

Traffic light labelling

Traffic light labelling Originally devised by Food Standards Agency (FSA) – for the most up to date guidance go to www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/10/nutrition-labelling Offers consumers a simple, visual representation of the energy, fat, saturated fat, salt and sugar in a food product: Red = high Amber = medium Green = low

Advantages and disadvantages of each labelling system?

Nutritional claims Trans fats It is not a legal requirement to declare the presence or quantity of trans fats in a product unless a specific ‘low in trans fats’ claim is made on the packaging. Trans fats are widely used by food manufactures because they are cheap to produce and have a long shelf life Organic must be grown and produced in accordance with EU laws on organic production Fat and Sugar There are legal guidelines and codes of practice, but labels can still be misleading. For example: ‘lite’ or ‘light’ can be used to mean reduced fat, sugar, alcohol or even salt. It can even be used to describe the colour and texture of food

Recipe modification Food preparation methods can facilitate healthy eating: Steaming Dry frying Grilling Baking

Eating out/takeaways How to make healthier food choices when eating out or ordering a takeaway meal: As long as you are eating a balanced diet the majority of the time, then there is still room for the luxuries such as a big meal out Burgers tend to be lower in fat than chicken/fish sandwiches Order burgers without special sauces and mayonnaise Adding cheese to sandwiches/salads increases the fat content significantly Try a side salad instead of chips, but go easy on the mayonnaise, salad dressing or cheese toppings Vegetarian pizza (without cheese) can be a good choice Salad bars may not be a good choice Fish and chips are probably among the highest fat food choices Avoid deep fried items such as spring rolls, fried noodles and crispy meats Duck, goose and other poultry with skin are all high in fat Try ordering boiled rather than fried options Avoid items described as korma, creamy sauces, coconut, fried or dipped in batter