A comparison of the nutritional quality of products offered by the top packaged food and beverage companies in Canada

Table 4 The range in median amounts of calories, sodium, saturated fat and total sugars in companies’ products per 100 g (or mL) and reference amount (RA)^a, overall and by food category^a

Food category	Median calories (kcal)				Median sodium (mg)				Median saturated fat (g)				Median total sugars (g)
	Per 100 g/mL		Per RA^a		Per 100 g/mL		Per RA^a		Per 100 g/mL		Per RA^a		Per 100 g/mL		Per RA^a
	Min^b	Max^c	Min^b	Max^c	Min^b	Max^c	Min^b	Max^c	Min^b	Max^c	Min^b	Max^c	Min^b	Max^c	Min^b	Max^c
OVERALL	40	467	60	212	6	807	15	551	0	10	0	4	1	25	1	27
Bakery products	267	500	35	205	232	643	45	293	1	9	1	2	0	23	0	10
Beverages	0	37	0	137	0	22	0	83	0	0	0	0	0	10	0	36
Cereals and other grain products	356	436	110	367	12	1117	6	1117	0	3	0	2	0	28	0	12
Combination dishes	102	299	307	584	239	994	718	1987	0	7	1	13	2	5	4	13
Dairy products and substitutes	48	333	35	161	44	700	5	210	0	17	0	5	0	14	0	19
Dessert toppings and fillings	223	424	104	149	77	212	23	74	0	13	0	4	32	62	16	20
Desserts	55	229	71	297	38	109	50	142	0	11	0	14	13	18	17	23
Eggs and egg substitutes	132	132	132	132	129	129	129	129	3	3	3	3	0	0	0	0
Fats and oils	167	900	50	90	0	833	0	240	0	50	0	5	0	7	0	2
Fruit and fruit juices	39	52	59	130	0	10	0	25	0	0	0	0	9	12	12	29
Legumes	84	175	103	149	8	434	4	369	0	1	0	1	0	1	1	1
Marine and fresh water animals	106	108	100	102	347	358	323	340	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0
Meat, poultry, their products and substitutes	200	214	127	165	471	829	413	463	3	4	2	3	0	0	0	0
Miscellaneous category	100	438	1	111	338	27,500	48	577	0	13	0	1	0	32	0	7
Nuts and seeds	600	667	90	198	0	400	0	60	6	7	1	2	4	7	1	1
Potatoes, sweet potatoes and yams	97	101	110	136	88	316	148	442	0	1	0	1	1	1	1	2
Salads	90	128	90	130	128	255	128	289	2	2	2	2	2	3	2	3
Sauces, dips, gravies and condiments	40	300	15	120	17	1733	10	372	0	9	0	3	0	40	0	24
Snacks	300	571	60	286	167	1217	83	609	2	10	1	5	1	33	0	17
Soups	8	48	20	120	244	293	610	733	0	0	0	1	0	1	1	3
Sugars and sweets	300	524	50	213	7	196	1	78	0	16	0	6	43	78	11	32
Vegetables	20	35	10	60	72	733	100	620	0	0	0	0	2	7	2	11

^aReference amounts (RA) and food categories are defined in Health Canada’s Table of Reference Amounts for Food [32]
^aThe minimum median amount of calories, sodium, saturated fat or total sugars in a company’s products, overall or within a food category
^bThe maximum median amount of calories, sodium, saturated fat or total sugars in a company’s products, overall or within a food category

ISSN: 1471-2458