Decoding the Health Star Rating while on a weight loss journey

Found on everything from bread to yoghurt and chips to cereal, the Health Star Rating is a pretty common sight at the supermarket.

But what does the system mean? Is it a legitimate way to tell if something’s actually good for you? And how should you interpret it when you’re trying to lose weight?

We’ve got all the answers to your burning questions.

What is the Health Star Rating system?

The Health Star Rating is a system that rates different packaged foods based on their nutritional value. It ranges from 0.5 to 5 stars, with more stars indicating that the product is a healthier choice. 

The purpose of the system is to help you quickly and easily compare products from the same category, ideally guiding you to choose a more nutritious option. 

The key point here is comparison: you can use the system to weigh up similar packaged foods, not foods across different categories. For instance, you can compare 2 brands of bread, but not a loaf of bread and a box of cereal.

Those 2 bread brands could be white and wholemeal, though, which gives you the opportunity to make a smarter swap.

Foods are rated using strict calculations based on their ingredients and nutritional profile. These assess:

• Total energy (in kilojoules)
• Levels of saturated fat, salt and sugar
• Fibre and protein content
• Whether fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes are in the ingredients

If a food contains fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, fibre or protein (known as positive nutrients), it gets extra points. But if it has salt, sugar, saturated fat or excess energy (AKA risk nutrients), its rating goes down. 

You’ll see a food’s Health Star Rating on the front of the packaging. Some Health Star Ratings also contain other info, like protein or fibre content. However, not all products display it. The rating is a voluntary initiative for the food industry, not a strict requirement. 

What is a good Health Star Rating?

With a basic numerical system, it might seem obvious that half a star is a “bad” rating and 5 stars is a “good” one – but it’s not quite that simple.

The system is designed to help you detect a healthier product, not necessarily a healthy one. It compares foods within the same category, helping you to figure out which product may be a better pick. But that’s not to say it’s genuinely going to be good for you.

Plus, while many foods always get 5 stars (like fruit and veg), and some consistently get rated on the lower end (think chocolate, lollies and chips), many get a high rating because they’ve been fortified with certain nutrients – more on that further down.

In short, you can absolutely use the Health Star Rating as a guide, but don’t treat it as the final word when deciding on certain foods.

Is the Health Star Rating legit?

This is a question that experts and consumer groups have been debating since the system launched in 2014. On one side, there is ample support for the Health Star Rating system. 

According to a 2020 focus group that examined shoppers’ attitudes towards the system, the advantages are that it’s easy to understand and a useful visual for someone who might need to quickly assess a food’s healthiness [1].

Some experts also claim it can lead to healthier food choices, as long as it’s used alongside other nutritional information (like the nutrition information panel and ingredients list) and a bit of common sense [2].

On the other side, there’s the argument that it’s a fairly flawed system that doesn’t paint the full picture about a food’s nutritional value.

One critique is that the system gives high ratings to unhealthy foods, particularly ultra-processed foods. This is because food manufacturers often add nutrients like fibre and protein to improve a product’s score, even though it’s not necessarily healthier.

It might still have lots of added sugar, preservatives and artificial ingredients, but its increased fibre or protein content makes it a higher-rated choice. Some manufacturers also use artificial sweeteners to reduce a product’s sugar content.

Another critique is around naturally occurring nutrients. For example, many foods, including milk and olive oil, have high amounts of built-in sugars and fat. However, because the Health Star Rating system looks at total sugar and fat, they can receive a lower score. On the flipside, products with added sugars or fat might also have a naturally high protein or fibre content and have their star rating bumped up.

Another thing to note is that the system is entirely voluntary, so food companies can choose whether a product is included or not. This means many unhealthy foods fly under the radar because the manufacturer has decided not to have them rated.

According to research from The George Institute for Global Health, only 36% of intended food products carry a Health Star Rating label, just 24% of 3-star products, and 16% of half-star rated foods display it [3]. For this reason, many experts are calling for the system to be mandatory.

Lastly, healthy eating isn’t always as simple as distilling a food’s nutritional content into a single star. There are so many factors at play that go beyond a star rating, including the food’s portion size, processing level and context in someone’s overall diet.

5-star Health Rating foods

With all of this in mind, what 5-star foods should you be looking for at the supermarket? Here are some examples that not only boast a high rating but also back it up with solid nutritional credentials.

• Fresh fruit and veg: Even though they’re not labelled with a Health Star Rating, these automatically get a 5-star rating from the system, including fruit and veg that’s been chopped or peeled
• Frozen and canned fruit, veg and legumes: As long as there’s no added sugar, salt or seasoning, frozen and canned options also get 5 stars
• Lean meat and fish: Meat and fish also don’t fall under the intended purpose of the Health Star Rating, because the system was designed for purely packaged foods. However, frozen or minimally processed meat and fish that contain no additives are good 5-star options
• Plain rolled oats: These are high in fibre, low in sugar and salt, and minimally processed
• Brown rice or quinoa: Both are nutritionally dense whole grains. Just make sure to go for unseasoned and unflavoured products
• Unsweetened yoghurt: Despite having a high total sugar content, unsweetened yoghurt is a great 5-star option
• Plain tofu: Tofu is a plant-based food that is high in protein and low in saturated fat
• Wholemeal bread: Look for products with minimal salt, no added sugar and a brief ingredients list
• Natural nut butters: As long as the nut butter is 100% nuts with no added sugar, oil or salt, it’s a safe bet

How to navigate the Health Star Rating on a weight loss journey

If you’re aiming to lose weight, how can you use the Health Star Rating system to support, not derail, your goals? Here are a few tips.

Use it alongside other nutritional information

As we’ve mentioned already, the Health Star Rating is a handy tool for deciding between different foods, but it shouldn’t be used in isolation. Assess other details included on a food’s packaging, like the nutrition information panel and ingredients list. 

The nutrition information panel gives you a clear picture of actual energy, salt, sugar, fat and nutritional content per 100g, which you can then compare against other foods.

As far as the ingredients list goes, nutrition experts generally agree that you want it to be as short as possible with recognisable ingredients. Things like emulsifiers, preservatives, artificial colours and flavours and other additives often indicate that a food is highly processed (and possibly not great for your health).

Aim for whole foods

Sometimes, the safest bet is to just go for whole foods like fruits, veg, legumes, lean meat, fish, dairy, whole grains, nuts, seeds and healthy fats like olive oil. These are more nutritionally dense options that will deliver a decent dose of fibre, protein and good fats.

They’re also minimally processed, or sometimes not processed at all, and don’t have added sugar, salt, fat or artificial ingredients.

Watch out for added ingredients

Remember to be somewhat sceptical about processed foods that carry a higher rating. Even though they might be 3 stars or higher, they could have lots of added sugar, salt, fat or other unhealthy ingredients.

This is where that nutrition information panel and ingredients list can be really useful — they give a much more well-rounded idea of a food’s nutritional value.

Minimise discretionary foods

Regardless of their Health Star Rating, items like confectionery, chips, soft drinks, muesli bars and frozen meals are best treated as “sometimes” foods.

We’re not saying you shouldn’t have them, but just try to keep them occasional.

Don’t go overboard

Even if a food has 5 stars, it doesn’t mean you can eat as much of it as you want — and that includes whole foods like nuts and avocados.

The Health Star Rating helps you pick healthier products, but doesn’t indicate that the product should be eaten in huge quantities or replace other foods. Instead, focus on enjoying a balanced diet that includes foods from every category.

Get expert support

The Health Star Rating system can be complex, so if you need help navigating it, consider reaching out to a nutrition expert.

With Juniper’s Weight Reset Program, for instance, you receive hands-on support from a team of nutritionists, health coaches and doctors who can guide you through the system’s nuances and help you figure out the best foods to eat.

Our holistic program pairs medical treatment with practical day-to-day advice to see you not just lose weight, but manage your weight well into the future.  

You also get access to an awesome app and a supportive community of people on a similar journey.