There’s a famous saying that goes: “You are what you eat.” But what if you really don’t know what you are eating?

Do you know that:

Foods labeled as “natural” only means that some ingredient(s) in the food is natural, but not all of it?
Candies that come with the label “fat-free” are still almost 100% sugar?
Vegetable products that are labeled as “cholesterol-free” — but vegetables do not have cholesterol in the first place?

Understanding how to read food labels will help you make informed selections and will, at the very least, offer you a better understanding of what you’re putting into your body, whether your objective is to get leaner or healthier. The label is the single most honest source of information about a packaged food — but only if you know how to interpret it.

In this guide, we will walk you through a simple 5-step process that takes the guesswork out of grocery shopping. By the end, you will be able to look at any food label and quickly decide whether it deserves a place in your cart.

Step 1: Be Cautious of Health Claims on Food Packaging

The health claims on food packaging can just be marketing gimmicks meant to sell the idea that the item is healthy or healthier by emphasizing the positives and ignoring the negatives. Even seemingly Health Promotion Board-endorsed claims of “low-fat”, “lower in saturated fat”, “no-added-sugar”, “low-sugar”, “contains wholegrains”, etc. do not show you the complete picture.

“Low-sugar” food may come with more fat and contain other ingredients similar to sugar, such as syrup, corn syrup, honey, etc.
“Low-fat” food may come with more sugar.
“Contains wholegrain” just means that only a small fraction (possibly minimal) of the food contains wholegrain, and not the entire product.
“No-added-sugar” fruit juice already has fructose — commonly known as fruit sugar. The nutrition content of packaged fruit juices is very different from eating whole fruits, as fiber has been removed in the juicing process (try eating the same number of fruits it takes to make a glass of fruit juice — I guarantee it won’t be an easy feat).

Read more about how to decipher the “Healthier Choice Symbol” in Singapore here: Is Food with Healthier Choice Symbol Really Healthy for You?

Be wary of misleading health claims — water is water. You don’t need “diet” water for weight management. The front of the package is advertising; the back of the package is information. Learn to ignore the former and read the latter.

Step 2: Read the Ingredient List

Ingredients are given in proportional order. The item that is present in the MOST quantity is mentioned FIRST, and the ingredient that is present in the LEAST quantity is listed LAST. Observing the type and quantity of ingredients can help you determine a food’s “healthiness” when reading food labels.

Quality

Avoid food that contains the following within its first 3 ingredients:

Sugar — common variations include: high fructose corn syrup, syrup, molasses, agave, dextrose, sucrose, glucose, maltose, and lactose.
Oil — common variations include: vegetable oil, hydrogenated vegetable oil, coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, and cocoa butter.

If sugar or oil appears near the top of the list, it means the product is mostly made of it. That is the single fastest way to spot a food that looks healthy but really isn’t.

Example: Skippy Peanut Butter

Example: Adam’s 100% Natural Peanut Butter

Quantity

If a food contains a long(er) list of ingredients, it is likely to be more highly processed. A good rule of thumb is to aim for foods with less than 5 ingredients. Food which contains only 1 ingredient is the best.

Compare two peanut butters: a brand with a long list including sugar and hydrogenated oils versus one with a single ingredient — peanuts. Both are called peanut butter, but only one is actually just peanuts. The ingredient list tells you which is which.

Step 3: Pay Attention to Serving Size and Total Amount per Package

Example: Classic lay’s potato chips

Don’t be duped by serving sizes, because producers can cut them to make the quantity of calories, fats, and carbohydrates appear to be lower.

Take the classic example of Lay’s potato chips. Per serving of 15 chips gives you “only” 160kcal, but the whole packet will provide you with a massive amount of 1280kcal. Most people do not stop at 15 chips — they eat the whole packet, and their body counts all 1280 calories.

To find out the total nutrition count in a whole package of food, take the amount per serving multiplied by the number of servings in one package. That will give you the full picture.

Ask yourself honestly: can you stop at 10 chips? If the answer is no, then the serving size on the label is not the number you should be planning your day around — the whole package is.

Step 4: Check for Calories, Fats, and Carbohydrates

When reading food labels, you can look at the number of calories, fat, and carbs in a serving to see how they fit into your own needs and goals.

Keep in mind that the amount shown on the label is the amount per serving, so if you want to consume the entire packet, you must multiply it by the number of servings.

If Your Goal Is to Lose Weight (or to Avoid Weight Gain)

To determine if a food fits into your Daily Caloric Intake, you need first to look at the total number of calories. The ratio of carbohydrates to fats in your diet is not as important, as long as you eat within the recommended Daily Caloric Intake for weight reduction or maintenance.

To find out how you can lose weight (and keep it off for good) in Singapore, please refer to this article: Understanding Fat Loss vs Weight Loss.

When comparing two similar products, the one with lower calories for the same serving size is usually the better choice for weight management.

Fats and carbohydrates are not inherently bad. In fact, they each serve important functions in the human body:

Carbohydrates: Our body’s main source of energy that helps fuel our brain, kidneys, heart muscles, and central nervous system.
Fats: Are essential for hormone regulation and overall health.

However, if you are keeping to a specific Daily Caloric Intake, you can choose lower carbohydrates or fats (but not both) according to your dietary preference.

Product 2 has lower calories for the same serving

If Your Goal Is to Achieve General Health

The % Daily Value (% DV), which is present on most food labels, can be used as a basic guideline for an average intake of 2000 kcal per day. To reduce your risk of overeating, choose meals with a lower % DV (apart from vitamins and minerals) — and remember to also take serving size and total amount per pack into account.

Looking at % DV, the better product will have lower % DV for calories, fat, and sodium. The next section on quality of nutrients will help you determine which nutrient marker you should pay attention to, to choose food that is better for general health.

Step 5: Aim for Higher Nutrient Quality

Both kinds of cereal have equal amounts of calories, but cereal A has more fibre for the same serving size

Food is more than just calories, carbs, and fats. The quality of nutrients may have an impact on your health and fitness.

Two foods can have identical calories yet be completely different in how they affect your body. Consider two kinds of cereal with equal amounts of calories — but cereal A has more fibre for the same serving size. That fibre keeps you full longer, steadies your blood sugar, and supports your digestion. Same calories, very different outcome.

Here are some tips on what to look out for when reading food labels.

Minimize Food That Contains

High amount of sugar — more than the recommended amount of 24g per day for females, and 36g per day for males.
Unhealthy oils and fats — such as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil, saturated fat, and trans fat.
High amount of sodium — more than the recommended amount of 2300mg per day.

Maximize Food That Contains

Higher in vitamins and minerals — such as vitamins, calcium, and iron.
Dietary fiber — helps you stay full and avoid overeating.
Higher in protein — helps you to stay full longer and requires more calories for the body to break down, compared to carbs and fats.

Summary: The 5-Step Food Label Checklist

Here is the complete checklist to take with you on your next grocery run:

Beware of health claims on food packaging — they don’t provide you with the whole picture.
Read the ingredient list — make sure the components are both sufficient and of high quality.
Pay attention to serving sizes and total amount — be aware of how much you are actually consuming.
Check calories, fats, and carbohydrates — depending on your goal, aim for the lowest number accordingly and/or % DV.
Aim for higher nutrient quality — minimize oil, sodium, and sugar, and maximize fibre, protein, vitamins, and minerals.

Learning to read food labels is one of the most empowering skills you can develop for your health. It turns every trip to the supermarket into an informed decision, and it puts you back in control of what goes into your body.

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