Reading food labels is important in deciding how much of a food item you can consume.
If you are eating packaged food, you can tell how much carbohydrate it contains and decide how much of it you can eat by looking at the food labels.
Pay attention to:
Serving size
There can be more than one serving in the package, so if you are eating a larger serving, you will need to multiply the information on the label accordingly.
Total carbohydrate
The total carbohydrate per serving includes carbohydrate from sugar, fibre and starch.
"'Sugar-free’ or ‘No sugar added’ labels do not mean that the food is carbohydrate-free," adds Ms Kala Adaikan, Senior Principal Dietitian from the Department of Dietetics, Singapore General Hospital (SGH), a member of the SingHealth group.
Healthy nutrients to look out for:
Fibre
Look for foods with > 4 g of fibre per serve. High-fibre foods slow the digestion of carbohydrates.
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats
Choose monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, over saturated or trans fat.
Watch out for:
Calories
If you are trying to lose weight, choose foods that are low in calories.
Saturated and trans fat
To reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, look for foods that are low in saturated and trans fats.
Sodium
If you have high blood pressure, look for foods that are low in sodium.
Ref: O17
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