Food labelling is indeed part and parcel of our daily routine, yet the existence of this wide range of information has been commonly overlooked by many of us
The 365 Cancer Prevention Society brought us through a sharing on understanding ordinary food labels at ‘Decode the Label’. The session covered a wide range of topics, from insights and tips on how to decode food labels to healthier alternatives to navigate daily eating habits.
In the one-hour session, our speaker, Ms Gan Hui Shan, presented the regulatory landscape in Singapore and the common features of food labels. Some of these include the mandatory requirements of food labels, the basic know-how of ways to tell apart fresh food, diverse ways to cook, product ingredients found in food, the different types of food allergens/additives, nutrition content, healthier food choices, and so much more.
One of my key takeaways from the sharing will be the looking out for the three ‘lows’ and two ‘highs’. These are namely low sugar, low fat, low salt/sodium and high fiber and high calcium. Ms Gan had also unreservedly shared the approach in interpreting the Nutrition Information Panel (NIP) and the correct way to compare across products of similar nature. Another personal interesting discovery would be identifying that the listing of ingredients was actually by the descending order by weight. It had never occurred to me of such industry practices in food labelling, until it was unveiled to us!
To meet our hectic daily schedules, the Health Promotion Board (HPB) provided a shortcut for consumers like us to make quick decisions in picking up food items by introducing the Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS). It was truly an eye-opening experience — who knew there were 10 different types of HCS signs!
The art of reading food labels may sound simple. The truth of the matter is, we may find that it may not be that straightforward after all. Thus, it is important to understand what is stated on the label and never take it too lightly when it comes to food choices. From allergens that could result in bad outcomes to opting for healthier choices to live better, life should be better lived. Let’s pay more attention to what goes into our body!
