Lesson 2 Learning Objectives

1. To understand what should be on a food label
2. To understand how ingredients list are organised
3. To understand the columns of the nutritional information

Food labels must include mandatory information such as the product name, storage conditions, country of origin, business contact details, and shelf-life dates like "best before" or "use by." However, when it comes to evaluating the true healthfulness of a packaged item, two key elements demand your closest attention: the ingredient list and the nutritional information panel.

The ingredient list is strictly organised in descending order by weight, starting with the largest ingredient and ending with the smallest. This layout lets you instantly check whether wholesome whole-foods appear at the very beginning or are buried near the end behind various additives and fillers. If additives are positioned closer to the top, it is a strong indicator that the product may be less healthy.

Finally, the nutritional information table reveals the exact nutrient breakdown and serving sizes, though food companies frequently use these columns to make products seem healthier than they actually are. Typically, panels display values per 100g and per serving. While the per 100g column allows you to easily compare sugar, fat, and salt content across differently sized products, the per-serving column requires careful scrutiny. Because a single packaged item often contains multiple servings and people rarely consume just one portion, looking past the serving size can completely change your perspective on how much sugar or fat you are actually consuming.