The Health Star Rating is a government-led, front-of-pack labelling system designed to help you compare the nutritional profile of packaged food and beverages at a glance. The system assigns ratings from  ½ a star up to 5 stars, providing a simple, visual way to make healthier choices among similar products. Essentially, the more stars, the healthier the choice.

The star rating is decided by balancing a product’s overall nutritional profile - weighing its positive nutrients against components should be limited. For example, products containing higher levels of sodium (salt), saturated fat, and total sugars will generally receive a lower rating. Conversely, products earn more stars if they contain beneficial nutrients such as protein and dietary fibre, or ingredients such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes.

The best way to use the stars is for comparing similar products side-by-side. For instance, it’s a fantastic tool for comparing two different muesli bars to find the better option for your lunchbox. Keep in mind, it isn’t designed to compare completely different categories of food, like pitting a muesli bar against a breakfast cereal.

Health Star Ratings are a helpful tool to use alongside the