Guidance on European Food Labels

WatchitBeginAgain

Hello,

I am an American who is living in a country where the majority of packaged food comes from Europe. I am having a very hard time deciphering the nutrition label system from the EU. There are multiple YouTube videos and easy guides for the U.S. system but I have yet to find a good one for the EU.

I get that it typically lists calories, fat, carbs, etc. based on 100 grams, not based on the container nor suggest serving size. However, I find it challenging to figure out exactly (or even approximately) how much a container has. Some containers say "70 grams" or "100 grams" on the front, but not all of them do. So unless I start carrying around a food scale with me, I don't know how I am supposed to determine if the bag of nuts has 150 calories or 2,000. Sometimes it is not in a language I understand, but most of the time it is. I speak English, Spanish, and Dutch, so it isn't like I am a complete idiot. I am just finding this very challenging so I am reaching out to the MFP hive mind for some direction.

FYI, I know the focus on calories might seem a bit misplaced, but I suffer from a chronic history of super morbid obesity, so it is really important I remain calorie conscious. I try very hard to eat a primarily whole foods, plants based diet, but I do occasionally eat some packaged foods and it has been hard for me to determine what choice would fit within my calorie range.

Does anyone have any resources that can help me better understand the system? Does anyone know if there is an app that can convert it?

Many Thanks!

TavistockToad

Post a picture of the label on here, people will help you decipher it until you get the hang of it

sijomial

"Some containers say "70 grams" or "100 grams" on the front, but not all of them do"
Have you checked the back of the packaging as would be very surprised if you can buy packages without the weight being stated?

The front of packaging can have quite different traffic light style displays but the nutritional information panel is more consistent.

Are you aware of the difference in how EU compliant packaging displays carb counts? The number is net carbs in the EU.

WatchitBeginAgain

sijomial wrote: »

"Some containers say "70 grams" or "100 grams" on the front, but not all of them do"
Have you checked the back of the packaging as would be very surprised if you can buy packages without the weight being stated?

...

Are you aware of the difference in how EU compliant packaging displays carb counts? The number is net carbs in the EU.

Yes, I have personally put multiple things back because after two or three minutes of looking, both front and back, I couldn't find the weight. I think this is why I am so frustrated. I am not 100% sure if this is because I live somewhere other than the EU that uses EU labels, but it is driving me mad.

I did read about the carb thing and find it even more confusing. However, I try to make sure I hit a fiber level but I don't stress if my overall carbs are high. I am more calorie focused.

WatchitBeginAgain

TavistockToad wrote: »

Post a picture of the label on here, people will help you decipher it until you get the hang of it

Okay, here is one that just explains why I an so confused, it is horribly difficult to read.

This is why I am hoping there is a simple guide so I can understand this without Rosetta stone.

WatchitBeginAgain

TavistockToad wrote: »

Post a picture of the label on here, people will help you decipher it until you get the hang of it

Here is another that technically isn't European, but it seems closer to EU format than U.S. it says 32gr but I don't think that is the overall weight, as this is a medium size jar of natural peanut butter. Half full it weights 382 grams.

So I am looking to see if someone can decrypt it.

granite_peapod

WatchitBeginAgain wrote: »

TavistockToad wrote: »

Post a picture of the label on here, people will help you decipher it until you get the hang of it

Okay, here is one that just explains why I an so confused, it is horribly difficult to read.

This is why I am hoping there is a simple guide so I can understand this without Rosetta stone.

What's confusing? Is it the use of the , rather than the . in the numbers? It's common in parts of mainland Europe but confuses the rest of us that use the decimal point!!!

This carton does say values per 100ml at the top. Then gives kcals, fat, carbs etc. Just like any other label just with many languages. And your peanut butter looks like values per 100g. I looked up a generic UK supermarket brand ,Tesco, to get a per 100g value and it's pretty close to that 680 on that label.

swirlybee

That peanut butter container is pretty confusing. It doesn't say what the serving size is. Is that 639 kcals per 100gram? What's that 35gr. notation on the bottom left hand corner of the label.

That other label seem pretty straight forward though. Does it say the net weight/net volume in the front? It's 22kcal per 100 mL. If that container is one liter then you know there are 10 servings in that container.

Susieq_1994

My best suggestion is to buy a collection of the convenient packaged foods you normally gravitate to when out, take them home, and weigh their contents. Note it down somewhere or make a list on your computer or phone that you can refer back to for future reference, and use that when out and about.

lemurcat2

Susieq_1994 wrote: »

My best suggestion is to buy a collection of the convenient packaged foods you normally gravitate to when out, take them home, and weigh their contents. Note it down somewhere or make a list on your computer or phone that you can refer back to for future reference, and use that when out and about.

Great idea.

I admit those labels would drive me crazy.

Susieq_1994

Just another thing to add, since those labels look quite similar to some of the foods I find here, so I suspect you're somewhere in the Middle East. Look for the tiny, stamped on expiry dates (unlike the one on the peanut butter, which oddly appears to be printed on the label). They often have the net weight stamped on next to it, very tiny, and all tangled into the expiry dates and serial numbers. That's usually where I find it when it isn't printed anywhere on the packaging, but it's often very hard to see.

amusedmonkey

That looks like some of the labelings I find. Some Russian labels are even worse, you have to hunt for the nutritional info in the ingredients all in one block of text! I'm used to it, but I know it can be a bit confusing. Package weight can sometimes be listed near the printed date label as Susie said, or printed in the back or bottom, or even on the lid.

Others have given you some good practical advice, so I'll touch on the mental side. You can turn this into a more positive experience by making use of what some US labels wouldn't give you: the consistency of 100 grams. Since every label is listed by 100 grams you get to compare similar foods in terms of calories without being fooled by serving sizes. Two foods can have comparable calories but one could appear lower because the serving size is smaller. With a more fair comparison, you get to pick what fits your diet. If you weigh your food to log it, this will eliminate a good chunk of that frustration because you get to eat as much or as little as you want without having to stick to the serving size.

ETA:
The 35 grams appears to be a typo. A jar of that size is typically 350 grams.

ceiswyn

What’s the issue with the peanut butter? It gives you the values per 100g, so you can easily calculate how much is in whatever size serving you fancy.

Susieq_1994

amusedmonkey wrote: »

That looks like some of the labelings I find. Some Russian labels are even worse, you have to hunt for the nutritional info in the ingredients all in one block of text! I'm used to it, but I know it can be a bit confusing. Package weight can sometimes be listed near the printed date label as Susie said, or printed in the back or bottom, or even on the lid.

Others have given you some good practical advice, so I'll touch on the mental side. You can turn this into a more positive experience by making use of what some US labels wouldn't give you: the consistency of 100 grams. Since every label is listed by 100 grams you get to compare similar foods in terms of calories without being fooled by serving sizes. Two foods can have comparable calories but one could appear lower because the serving size is smaller. With a more fair comparison, you get to pick what fits your diet. If you weigh your food to log it, this will eliminate a good chunk of that frustration because you get to eat as much or as little as you want without having to stick to the serving size.

ETA:
The 35 grams appears to be a typo. A jar of that size is typically 350 grams.

I was thinking the same, but OP said the half-empty jar was 382 grams. If the jar is glass, you're probably right; I can't see it well on my phone because when I click on it it's enormous!

amusedmonkey

Susieq_1994 wrote: »

amusedmonkey wrote: »

That looks like some of the labelings I find. Some Russian labels are even worse, you have to hunt for the nutritional info in the ingredients all in one block of text! I'm used to it, but I know it can be a bit confusing. Package weight can sometimes be listed near the printed date label as Susie said, or printed in the back or bottom, or even on the lid.

Others have given you some good practical advice, so I'll touch on the mental side. You can turn this into a more positive experience by making use of what some US labels wouldn't give you: the consistency of 100 grams. Since every label is listed by 100 grams you get to compare similar foods in terms of calories without being fooled by serving sizes. Two foods can have comparable calories but one could appear lower because the serving size is smaller. With a more fair comparison, you get to pick what fits your diet. If you weigh your food to log it, this will eliminate a good chunk of that frustration because you get to eat as much or as little as you want without having to stick to the serving size.

ETA:
The 35 grams appears to be a typo. A jar of that size is typically 350 grams.

I was thinking the same, but OP said the half-empty jar was 382 grams. If the jar is glass, you're probably right; I can't see it well on my phone because when I click on it it's enormous!

It's a thick glass jar, so it's quite possible for the net weight to be 350 grams and for the total weight to be considerably more.

Susieq_1994

amusedmonkey wrote: »

Susieq_1994 wrote: »

amusedmonkey wrote: »

That looks like some of the labelings I find. Some Russian labels are even worse, you have to hunt for the nutritional info in the ingredients all in one block of text! I'm used to it, but I know it can be a bit confusing. Package weight can sometimes be listed near the printed date label as Susie said, or printed in the back or bottom, or even on the lid.

Others have given you some good practical advice, so I'll touch on the mental side. You can turn this into a more positive experience by making use of what some US labels wouldn't give you: the consistency of 100 grams. Since every label is listed by 100 grams you get to compare similar foods in terms of calories without being fooled by serving sizes. Two foods can have comparable calories but one could appear lower because the serving size is smaller. With a more fair comparison, you get to pick what fits your diet. If you weigh your food to log it, this will eliminate a good chunk of that frustration because you get to eat as much or as little as you want without having to stick to the serving size.

ETA:
The 35 grams appears to be a typo. A jar of that size is typically 350 grams.

I was thinking the same, but OP said the half-empty jar was 382 grams. If the jar is glass, you're probably right; I can't see it well on my phone because when I click on it it's enormous!

It's a thick glass jar, so it's quite possible for the net weight to be 350 grams and for the total weight to be considerably more.

Sounds about right, most of my glass jars are around ~200 grams empty. I'd definitely go with it being a typo as well, in that case. I once saw a bag of flour with a very similar typo on it (last digit missing) so that it said 100g was 36 calories rather than 364!

WatchitBeginAgain

Thanks for the comments - I have no idea with the Peanut Butter - I have just been logging some american brand of Peanut Butter because I can't figure it out. The only ingredient is peanuts, so I figure it must be somewhat similar.

FYI - not the middle east, I am in West Africa at the moment.

SuffolkSally

Looks like all the info is per 100g/100ml, and therefore straightforward. The 35g thing must be a misprint, surely. I am European (still, just... ie British!) and I don't understand how you could go by a "serving size" on a label. You'd have to weigh it to accurate because one person's idea of a serving could be very different to someone else's!

lemurcat2

If the package says 4 servings (28 g), 200 cal each -- like US labels do -- then you can estimate if you don't have a scale. (Is there a misunderstanding that the actual serving size and numbers are not provided?)

If the package says 100 g = 714 cal, but does not give a package weight -- as OP seemed to be suggesting -- it's impossible without a scale.

If it says 100 g = 714 cal, total package = 112 g, then you can estimate again, but I find the first way easier without a scale, although the 100 g is always nice with a scale.

ceiswyn

I still don’t get it; what can’t you figure out about the peanut butter?

Susieq_1994

ceiswyn wrote: »

I still don’t get it; what can’t you figure out about the peanut butter?

I'll admit... I'm not sure either. The calorie label seems easier to decipher than the other example--only the net weight of the jar is off, which shouldn't have any effect on logging since nobody buys a jar of peanut butter to eat as one serving!