Eating healthy begins at the supermarket when we make our choices during grocery shopping. By knowing how to read food labels, it definitely brings you a closer step to making sure that you are feeding your good self and your family members with healthier food products.
Ingredient List
On the ingredient list, the ingredients are arranged in descending order.
This means that the main ingredient would be listed as the first ingredient, followed by those with smaller amounts. In the example above, potato is the main ingredient (do you know what is this product?)
By readying the ingredient list, you would have a better understanding on what ingredients are used to make the product. However, do note that manufacturers often use less common names (or scientific names) for certain ingredients so that people may think that the ingredient is not in the ingredient list.
Sugar
It can be challenging to identify sugar on ingredient list as it can be represented with different names and be from different food sources. For example:
Syrup – Regardless of the type of syrup (e.g. agave syrup, barley malt syrup, brown rice syrup, carob syrup, etc), they are all sugary fluid.
Fruit juice concentrate – Contains high amount of sugar but does not have any benefits from fruit. This ingredient is often found in “healthy” versions of products.
Honey – Though it is less refined and slightly more “natural” than table sugar, it contains similar amount of sugar as table sugar
-ose – Scientific name of sugar (e.g. sucrose, glucose, maltose, fructose, etc).
You may also refer to the infographic produced by the British Heart Foundation on the different names for sugar.
Salt
May also be known as sodium chloride. Furthermore, some products may add Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) instead to enhance the flavour of food without using salt.
Hidden trans fat
Did you know, products may still be able to bear the “Trans Fat-Free” nutrient claim as long it does not contain 0.5 g of trans fatty acids per 100g? By reading the ingredient list, you can also identify hidden trans fat (i.e. partially hydrogenated oil, shortening). This is particularly important as trans fat is proven to be detrimental to our heart health
As a rule of thumb, the least you understand the ingredients on the ingredient list, the less likely the food is going to be wholesome.
The Nutrition Information Panel (NIP)
The NIP provides the nutrition value of the product such as energy, carbohydrates, protein, fat, dietary fibre, sodium ,etc. It may also include the values of other nutrients if any specific claims are made (e.g. product with the “Higher in Calcium” claim would need to declare the product’s calcium content).
On the NIP, the nutrition value is usually represented with two columns. One of the columns would provide the nutrition value of the product based on “Per Serving”, while the other column would provide the nutrition value based on “Per 100 g” or Per 100 mL”.
It is important to note that the serving size indicated on the food label is not regulated. This means that a manufacturer may state any serving size, which they think it is favourable for their product. In this example, the manufacturer used 200 mL as the recommended serving size. However, another similar product may us 250 mL instead.
To minimise confusion, you can use the “Per 100 g” or “Per 100 mL” to compare products within the same product category to choose the healthier option.
Generally, you should choose product that is lower in calories, sugar, sodium, saturated fat and trans fat. If you are trying to lose weight, look out for products that are lower in calories.
Nutrient Claims
Examples of Nutrient Claims are “No Added Sugar”, “Reduced Fat”, “Cholesterol Free” and many more. However, it is important to refer to the NIP as the claims do not specify the actual amount of nutrients present.
For instance, a product with the “Reduced Fat” claim does not mean that it is low in fat. It simply means that it is at least 25% less fat than food within the same product category.
Date Marking
Usually in the form of “Use By” and “Best Before”. However, do you know the difference?
According to the Singapore Food Agency, these dates do not mean the same thing.
“Best Before” dates mainly indicate quality, which tell you when would the product start losing its quality such as taste and flavour. Hence, a product that has passed their “Best Before” date are generally edible but may not taste as optimal as it should be. Typically, “Best Before” dates are found on food items that have longer shelf life, such as cereals, biscuits, canned food and frozen food.
“Use By” dates are used to indicate safety, which means that a product would be unsafe to consume beyond the date. The “Use By” date is usually used to date mark perishable food such as yoghurt, fresh meat, packet ham and ready-to-heat products (e.g. pre-cut vegetables). You should not eat food that have passed its “Use By” date.
However, it is also important to note that these dates would only be valid if the storage instructions on the label is followed. Products that are not stored or handled properly can be unsafe for consumption.
Whatever it is, if the food smell or look bad before the “Best Before” or “Use By” Date”, you should not be consuming it.
3 Simple Steps to Choose Healthier Options
Here are the 3 key steps that you can take to choose healthier food products.
Step 1: Look for Nutrient Claim(s) and/or Endorsement
Choose products that bear nutrient claim (s) or even endorsement by your local public health agency (e.g. Health Promotion Board in Singapore). Products bearing the nutrient claims and/or endorsement are usually healthier than products which do not.
Step 2: Review the NIP
Don’t be overwhelmed by the information you see on the NIP. All you need to do is to choose product that is lower in calories, sugar, sodium, saturated fat and trans fat by comparing the products using the “Per 100g/100mL” column
Step 3: Read the Ingredient List
The less you understand, the less wholesome it is
All in all, always remember to consume all food in moderation & never ever judge a FOOD by its PACKAGING!
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