I know what you’re thinking. Nutrition information labels. Too much information. Complicated. Time-consuming. Boring. But they don’t need to be.

To help you choose foods that have acceptable calorie and nutrient levels, all you need to do is remember four simple things when looking at nutrition information labels.

INGREDIENTS LIST

All ingredients are listed in order from greatest to smallest by weight. If the first three ingredients are saturated fat, sodium (salt) or sugar then put it back on the shelf.

100G COLUMN

To compare two products, use the 100g column to ensure you’re comparing like-for-like.

ENERGY

This is shown as either calories (cal or kcal) or kilojoules (kJ) or both. If you’re looking for a treat or a snack, try and stick to something that is less than 600kJ (around 140 kcals). In case you’re wondering, there are 4.18kj in a kcal.

RULE OF THUMB GUIDES

  • Fiber – at least 8g per 100g is a good guide for breads and cereals
  • Sugars – stick to less than 7.5g in every 100g (less than 4g ideal)
  • Sodium – stick to less than 120mg per 100g
  • Total fat – less than 10g per 100g (less than 5g ideal)
  • Saturated fat – less than 3g per 100g is best
  • Trans fat – should be not listed or less than 0.1g

Each recipe in the myDNA app has its own nutrition information

So that you have all the information at your fingertips, each recipe in the myDNA app includes relevant nutrition information. Use this to learn what a balanced meal looks like for you and use this knowledge to make more DNA-personalized choices for the rest of your life.

Don’t forget there’s a huge range of recipes you can start trying out in the myDNA app. DanceRX customers receive a month free with their purchase of a test.