Most products at the supermarket carry a Nutrition Information Panel which provides important information about the contents of the food. But who has time to compare nutritional values as you’re rushing around the supermarket after work to grab something in time for dinner? That's where the Health Star Rating comes in to save the day!
Here’s how it works
In simple terms, the more stars, the healthier the choice; but there is a bit more to it than that. A high Health Star Rating doesn't mean a food provides all the essential nutrients you need, or that you should eat it in large quantities. It's just a helpful tool to guide you toward healthier choices within the mountain of packaged foods.
Stars are added for good stuff like fruit, vegetables, fibre, calcium, and protein content (positive nutrients). On the flip side, stars are deducted for not-so-great stuff like salt, saturated fat, and sugar content (risk nutrients). In general, products with 3½ stars or more are considered healthier choices, while those with less than two stars should be enjoyed as occasional treats.
An important thing to remember is to always compare foods in the same category or the system won’t work! For example, compare the star rating between two different types of yoghurt, but not between a yoghurt and a box of cereal. Fresh fruit and vegetables automatically score five stars, the highest Health Star Rating!
It’s also important to remember that you don’t need to change your whole diet – simply choosing a higher star rating product when buying packaged foods can make a difference. So, if you find a 5-star muesli bar, great! Just don’t eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner – it means that, compared to some of the other muesli bars, this is one of the better ones for your health!
Source: healthstarrating.gov.au
