Introduction
Traveling abroad or buying imported food often reveals an interesting truth: not all food labels are created equal. Each country has its own rules for nutritional labeling, which can confuse consumers who are trying to eat healthier or follow a specific diet. Understanding how these labels work globally helps you make smarter food choices.
How Nutritional Labels Differ Around the World
Food labels vary in format, required information, and measurement units depending on the region:
- European Union: Labels must include nutritional values per 100 grams (or 100 ml), often alongside the values per serving. This makes it easy to compare products regardless of serving size.
- United States: The nutrition facts are based mostly on serving sizes, which are defined by manufacturers. This makes direct comparisons more difficult because serving sizes vary significantly across products.
- United Kingdom: Labels still follow EU regulations but often include traffic light labeling, using colors to indicate low, medium, or high amounts of fat, sugar, and salt—making it easier to judge a product at a glance.
- Australia and New Zealand: In addition to the per-100g values, many products use a Health Star Rating system, scoring foods from 0.5 to 5 stars based on their overall nutritional profile.
- Asia (e.g., Japan, South Korea): Labels are often detailed, but may lack consistency with 100g standards, and sometimes omit key nutrients like saturated fat or dietary fiber.
Why the "per 100 grams" Format Matters
When it comes to comparing the nutritional quality of different products, the per 100 grams reference is the most reliable. It eliminates confusion from inconsistent serving sizes and allows for accurate nutritional evaluations, especially for people managing their intake of sugar, fat, or calories.
For example, two snack bars might have very different serving sizes (25g vs. 50g), but by comparing the data per 100g, you can objectively assess which one is healthier.
In our other article "Portion or 100g? The Secret to Really Comparing Food Products" we delve deeper into this issue.
Luminatens Compatibility and Limitations
Luminatens, your personal food label scanner, relies on nutritional values per 100 grams to deliver accurate, personalized health scores based on your diet (omnivore, vegetarian, vegan, keto, carnivore) and food category.
This means that the app works best with labels that follow the 100g format, such as those found on European products. However, it's not optimized for labels that only show per-serving data, such as many U.S. products. If a product does not include the per-100g information, Luminatens may not be able to provide a complete or reliable analysis.
Are you scanning an American product with Luminatens? Check whether the nutrition facts include 100g values. If not, the scan may return a partial or inaccurate result.
One App to Understand Global Labels
Despite their differences, food labels everywhere aim to help consumers make better dietary decisions. Luminatens enhances this process by turning every label scan into a meaningful nutritional analysis. Whether you follow a specific diet or simply want to eat healthier, the app helps you understand how your food fits into your goals.