Heart Foundation Tick Programme | Helping shoppers make healthier food choices

Pick the Healthier Choice (product comparisons)

The Tick Programme helps improve the food we eat by raising nutrition standards across many different food groups. Manufacturers have embraced the Tick's mission to improve the food supply and have worked hard to meet the high standards, resulting in healthier food choices on supermarket shelves.

Just how much healthier are Tick products? We have focused on the key nutrients in several food groups, using the examples below to show the nutrient content of some Tick approved products, compared with similar ones that have not met Tick nutrition standards.

(Please note that food manufacturers choose to join the Tick Programme and there maybe other healthy choices in the same food category that do not carry the Tick logo).

Bread

The Heart Foundation nutrition standards for bread focus on reducing levels of sodium and increasing levels of dietary fibre. Bread can contribute a significant amount of salt to our diets, and some common breads contain a higher level of salt than the Heart Foundation recommends. Tick approved breads must also contain increased levels of dietary fibre. Whole grain breads provide a natural source of dietary fibre and will usually meet the Tick fibre requirements. White breads are typically low in fibre and do not meet the Tick fibre requirements.

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Breakfast Cereal

The Tick nutrition standards for breakfast cereals aim to reduce energy (kilojoules), as many cereals are relatively high in either sugar or fat which contributes to a higher energy density. The Tick also sets standards to reduce salt, as many cereal products contain a relatively high amount. Tick approved breakfast cereals also have to have relatively high levels of dietary fibre.

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Dairy Products

Dairy products are an important food group for most New Zealanders as they provide a key source of essential nutrients including protein and calcium. However full fat diary products contribute a significant amount of fat, particularly saturated fat to the diet. The Tick Programme has raised the nutritional bar in the yoghurt, dairy dessert and milk categories by setting maximum levels of saturated fat and energy and minimum levels of calcium. For example two major brands of dairy food reduced their kilojoules to meet the Tick standard, and in doing so, the total fat and saturated fat levels were more than halved.  Measured across the millions of packs sold annually, a total of 70 tonnes of total fat, including 50 tonnes of saturated fat, was removed from the food supply.

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Spreads & Margarine

New Zealanders are among the first in the world to have access to a wide range of margarines with very low levels of trans fat. Trans fat is more harmful to health than saturated fat and can increase bad cholesterol. The Heart Foundation has a goal to virtually eliminate trans fat from margarine and Tick approved margarines must contain a maximum of 1% of total fat as trans fat. This is a significantly lower level than many spreads and margarines that do not meet the Tick standard.

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Pies

New Zealanders love their meat pies, in fact, around 60 million pies are consumed every year. The Heart Foundation recommends pies as occasional foods, that should be limited in the diet, however if you are going to eat a pie, one that has the Tick is a significantly healthier choice. Savoury pies and pastries are typically high in both saturated fat and trans fat due primarily to the fat used to make the pastry. Tick approved pies must also achieve reduced levels of sodium, and a minimum dietary fibre content.

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