Dr Yasmine Probst of the University of Wollongong says it is always a good idea to look at what the ingredients of products are. Picture: SYLVIA LIBER
MERCURY.FEATURES. GOOD LIFE. Story of what labels like diet and low fat mean, pic of dietitian Yasmine Probst with some products that have these labelspic by sylvia liber. 13 September, 2012. job umber 00115577
Understanding food labels can be a minefield, especially when it comes to choosing packaged foods that are low in fat.
Is it better to go with the one labelled "diet", the one that is 97 per cent fat free or the one that promises that it's "lite"?
Or maybe it's better to steer clear of them altogether.
Dr Yasmine Probst, senior research fellow at the University of Wollongong's Smart Foods Centre and accredited practising dietitian, says you are better off making food choices based on the ingredients list and nutrition-information panel than relying on claims such as "diet" on the packaging.
She says misinterpretation of the terms on labels and the number of servings in a product is the biggest mistake people make when trying to pick healthier options.
"It is important, [when it comes to] foods labelled diet or light, to read the label and determine why these terms are used," she says.
"Being aware of the different meanings of these terms will help the decision."
According to the Dietitians Association of Australia, a liquid can be labelled low fat if it contains less than 1.5 grams of fat per 100 grams and a solid food is low fat if it contains less than 3 grams per 100. Other terms have similar requirements for their use.
Those that claim to be 97 per cent fat free, for example, must actually prove this claim and also meet the criteria for being low fat.
Reduced-fat products must be low fat and contain at least 25 per cent less fat than the regular version.
Foods labelled fat-free must contain less than 0.15 per cent fat, and skim milk must have less than 0.5 per cent fat.
The most contentious terms are "diet" and "light" because they do not always indicate health benefits.
Diet products have the number of kilojoules they contain reduced by replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners, whereas a food labelled light can refer to the product being light in colour, texture, weight, taste or fat content.
Even if a food uses one of these terms, it doesn't necessarily mean it's a good option.
Some products make up for the loss in flavour or texture by adding other unhealthy ingredients; diet cola is still soft drink, after all.
"Sweeteners of varying types may be added, as well as sodium in its varied forms, to uphold the taste profile of a food," Probst says.
"Other items in foods, such as colour and flavour additives, sodium and often sugar can be more of a concern as they are often overlooked."
Though buying low-fat or reduced-fat versions of products, especially dairy, can help minimise your saturated fat consumption, unsaturated fat is still a part of a healthy diet.
The NSW Food Authority recommends choosing foods with less than 3 per cent overall fat, less than 1 per cent saturated fat and less than 120 milligrams per 100 grams of sodium.
"Saturated or trans fats should be minimised where possible, while the unsaturated fats can be consumed as part of a healthy balanced diet," Probst explains.