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VOLUME 10 NUMBER 3 • SEPTEMBER 2013
PATIENT INFORMATION LEAFLET
SA JOURNAL OF DIABETES & VASCULAR DISEASE
than 40 mg Na (102 mg salt) per 100 g, and virtually free values are less
than 5 mg Na (13 mg salt) per 100 g.
Vitamins and minerals
Vitamins and minerals are essential for a healthy and functioning body.
Different vitamins have different functions in maintaining a healthy body
and it is advisable to obtain a range of vitamins from the foods you eat.
Remember that it is possible to take too much of some vitamins, so speak
to your doctor before supplementing or substantially increasing vitamin
intake.
NUTRITIONAL CLAIMS
Nutritional claims on food labels can easily be confusing and even mis-
leading. Some packaged foods will make claims of being healthy be-
cause, for example, the contents are sugar free; however, these foods
may have an unhealthily high salt or fat content.
Watch out for words, statements and misleading descriptions which
include ‘natural’ (on a processed food label), ‘healthy’, ‘wholesome’, ‘nu-
tritious’, ‘heal’ and ‘cure’. Also be aware of claims stating that a foodstuff
provides complete or balanced nutrition. You’ll recognise some of the
nutrition claims below. What do they really mean?
Reduced fat:
At least 25% less fat than the original product in the same
brand, but the food may still have a high fat content.
% Fat free:
This can only be used for ‘low-fat’ products, the percentage
based on the weight of fat in 100 grams of food; 98% fat free implies
2% fat content.
Cholesterol free:
Do not confuse cholesterol free with low fat. Cholesterol
is only found in foods containing animal fats. However, vegetable oils (e.g.
canola, olive, sunflower) are 100% fat despite being cholesterol free.
‘Light’ or ‘Lite’:
This does not necessarily mean low in energy or fat.
These words may also be used to mean light in colour, lightly toasted,
light in salt, light in taste.
No added sugar:
No refined sugars have been added. Remember that the
food may be high in natural sugars (e.g. fruit juices).
‘Diet’:
Usually means artificially sweetened.
Source of fibre:
More than 1 g of fibre per 100 g
High fibre:
At least 3 g of fibre per 100 g
FURTHER RESOURCES
1.
The South African Heart and Stroke Foundation.
.
co.za/topical-articles/label-reading
2.
Candadian Diabetes Association.
3.
Diabetes UK. Food labelling.
/
Food-and-diet/Food-labelling/
4.
American Drug Association. Taking a closer look at labels.
org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/taking-a-closer-look-at-labels.html
5.
Amod A, Ascott-Evans BH, Berg GI
et al.
The 2012 SEMDSA Guideline for the
Management of Type 2 Diabetes (Revised).
J Endocrinol Metab Diabetes S Afr
2012;
17
(2): S1–S95.
Table 3.
Words that mean fat, sugar or salt.
FAT
SUGAR
SALT
Vegetable oil/fat
Animal fat/oils
Shortening
Copha
Lard
Palm oil
Coconut oil
Butter
Milk solids
Monoglycerides
Diglycerides
Coconut
Sucrose
Maltose
Lactose
Dextrose
Fructose
Mannitol
Sorbitol
Xylitol
Glucose syrup
Corn syrup
Dissaccharides
Honey
Sodium
Na
Monosodium glutamate
(MSG)
Sodium bicarbonate
Sodium ascorbate
Sodium lactate
Yeast extracts
Baking soda
Vegetable salt
