What's the difference between a nutrition claim and a health claim?
Both are statements you put on your pack to tell shoppers something good about your product. Both are controlled by law. The difference is what they say.
A nutrition claim says what's in your product
It describes the amount of a nutrient, or the lack of it. For example:
- "High protein"
- "Low sugar"
- "Source of fibre"
- "No added sugar"
Each one has a fixed threshold. "Low sugar", for food, means no more than 5 g of sugar per 100 g. If your product meets the threshold, you can use the claim.
A health claim says what a nutrient does in your body
It links a nutrient to a benefit. For example:
- "Calcium is needed for the maintenance of normal bones"
- "Vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system"
- "Protein contributes to a growth in muscle mass"
Health claims are stricter. You can only use a claim that's on the official register of approved claims, your product has to meet the conditions for it, and your wording has to stay close to the approved wording.
How they work together
Most health claims need a nutrition claim to be true first. Say you want to use "calcium is needed for the maintenance of normal bones". Your product usually has to contain enough calcium to count as a "source of calcium" first. So if a health claim isn't showing as eligible, check the matching nutrition claim.
Canoli checks your recipe against both as you build it, and shows which claims you qualify for.
For more detailed instructions on how to check your claims in Canoli, subscribe to one of Canoli’s subscription tiers here, and you’ll be able to access our dedicated help pages.
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