HOW TO CHOOSE HEALTHY PROCESSED FOOD
Besides checking the expiry date, we should also place importance in checking the food label. Food label is very important as it provides vital information whether the food is nutritious or high in calorie.
If you are not able to read and understand the nutrient content displayed on the food label, you should refer to the ingredient section.
Example:
Biscuit A: Ingredients are Flour, Sugar and Fruits
Biscuit B: Ingredients are Sugar, Flour and Fruits
You should opt for Biscuit A because according to food label regulation, the first ingredient stated is the most quantity used to prepare the product.
Therefore for Biscuit B, sugar is the most quantity used to prepare the final product and it is not healthy as it has high sugar and calorie content.
If sugar and fat are listed in the first 3 main ingredients, avoid buying the product as much as possible. Make sure sugar and any types of fat are listed as the last ingredient in the ingredient section label of any food product.
Some food may be labelled as low fat. But this does not mean that it is low in calorie.
Example: Low Fat Yogurt
The yogurt could be low in fat but for taste, extra sugar could be added in. The extra sugar will increase the calorie content. Hence when choosing healthy food, make sure the product or food is not only low in fat but also low in calorie.
