Reading Food Labels
FoundationLearn to read the ingredient list, nutrition information and dates on food labels, and compare sugar, fat and sodium — then you can choose healthier foods.
- A food label shows the name, ingredient list, nutrition information, net weight, dates and storage instructions.
- Ingredients run from the largest amount to the smallest, with the first item the biggest.
- No more than five grams of sugar per 100 millilitres is low sugar; no more than three grams of fat per 100 grams is low fat.
文體小知識：圖解式說明文教我們解讀包裝上的標籤和數字，跟着步驟看標籤，就能成為精明的消費者。
§Text Passage
1In the supermarket, every packaged food carries a food label. On it are the product name, the ingredient list, nutrition information, net weight, the expiry date and storage instructions. Learning to read food labels lets us compare products and choose what is better for our health.
2Ingredients are listed in order, from the largest amount to the smallest, so the first item is the biggest. For example, if the first two items on a fruit drink are water and then sugar, it contains plenty of sugar. Nutrition information is usually given per 100 grams or per 100 millilitres, listing energy, protein, carbohydrate, sugar, fat and sodium, which makes products easy to compare.
3When choosing, watch the sugar, fat and sodium. Generally, a drink with no more than five grams of sugar per 100 millilitres counts as low sugar; a solid food with no more than three grams of fat per 100 grams counts as low fat. One teaspoon of sugar weighs about four grams, so a biscuit with over twenty grams of sugar per 100 grams is clearly a high-sugar choice.
4Before buying, check the dates. A use-by date is about safety: never eat the food after it. A best-before date is about quality: after it, the taste or texture may get worse. Also read the storage instructions, such as keep in a cool, dry place or keep refrigerated. Stored the wrong way, food can spoil even before the date.
1Summary 重點摘要
Learn to read the ingredient list, nutrition information and dates on food labels, and compare sugar, fat and sodium — then you can choose healthier foods.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
The label on packaged food giving the name, ingredients, nutrition information and dates.
The list of what the food is made of, ordered from the largest amount to the smallest.
The part of the label listing energy and nutrients, usually per 100 grams.
The body's main source of energy; rice, bread and sugar are rich in carbohydrate.
The main part of salt; too much of it puts a burden on the body.
A claim meaning no more than five grams of sugar per 100 millilitres of a drink.
A safety date; food must not be eaten after it.
A quality date; after it the food may taste worse or feel different.
The actual weight of the food without its packaging, printed on the label.
3Step by step Steps
- Step 1: Check the name and net weight firstWhen you pick up a packaged food, read the name and the net weight first to find out what it is and how much there is. For example, two packs of crisps weigh fifty grams and one hundred grams but cost the same; comparing the net weight first tells you which pack is better value. The name and weight are the most basic facts, and reading them prepares you for the next steps. Some packets look splendid but hold very little; checking the net weight first keeps the looks from misleading you.
- Step 2: Read the ingredient list — the earlier, the moreAn ingredient list is written from the largest amount to the smallest, so the earlier an item appears, the more of it the food contains. For example, on one biscuit the first item is wheat flour and the second is sugar, which means there is more sugar than chocolate chips. Learning to read the list shows what the food is really made of, so fancy packaging cannot mislead you. If sugar comes first on the list, the food is already high in sugar even if it does not taste very sweet, so take special care.
- Step 3: Look at the sugar in the nutrition informationNutrition information is usually given per 100 grams or per 100 millilitres, which makes products easy to compare. For example, biscuit A has twenty-four grams of sugar per 100 grams while biscuit B has only fifteen; since a teaspoon of sugar is about four grams, A equals six teaspoons. Too much sugar causes tooth decay and weight gain, so choose the one with less sugar. A drink with no more than five grams of sugar per 100 millilitres counts as low sugar; remembering this standard gives you a clear basis for comparison.
- Step 4: Look at the fat and the sodiumBesides sugar, watch the fat and sodium too. As a rule, a solid food with no more than three grams of fat per 100 grams counts as low fat, and more than six hundred milligrams of sodium per 100 grams is already high. Pick the lower one among similar products, because eating too much fat and salt for years puts a burden on the heart and kidneys. Fried snacks and tinned foods are usually high in fat and sodium, so eat them less and choose fresh food more often.
- Step 5: Check the dates and storage instructionsThe dates on a package tell us when the food expires; food past its date must never be eaten. Some labels also warn that the quality gets worse after the date, so such food should not be bought either. Storage matters too: a yoghurt marked keep refrigerated may spoil if left in the trolley for a long time. Checking dates and storage before buying keeps spoiled food out of your home. Store food as directed after shopping too — put anything marked keep refrigerated into the fridge at once to keep its quality.
- Step 6: Compare everything and choose wiselyA smart shopper is not drawn only by the big words on the packet but reads the whole label from top to bottom. For example, between two biscuits, compare sugar, fat and sodium and choose the lower one; then check the ingredient list and the dates to be sure it is fresh and genuine. With this habit of comparing, you can pick the healthier food every time. Use your label knowledge at every shopping trip, and in time smart choosing becomes a natural habit of life.
4Diagrams Diagrams
5Worked example Example
Example: Long wants to choose the healthier of two fruit drinks. Drink A has 11 grams of sugar per 100 millilitres, with water first and sugar second on the ingredient list. Drink B has 5 grams per 100 millilitres, with water first and real fruit juice second. Which should he choose, and why?
- First remember the low-sugar standard: no more than five grams of sugar per 100 millilitres; anything more does not count as low sugar.
- Drink A has eleven grams of sugar, nearly three teaspoons at about four grams each — more than double the standard.
- Drink B has five grams, just meeting the standard, with about half the sugar of drink A.
- Then compare the lists: B's second ingredient is real fruit juice while A's is sugar, so B's ingredients are more genuine.
- Answer: He should choose drink B. It has only 5 grams of sugar per 100 millilitres, meets the low-sugar standard, has about half the sugar of drink A, and is made mainly with real fruit juice — healthier than drink A in both sugar and ingredients, so it deserves first place.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1How are ingredients arranged on the list?
Q2How little sugar must a drink contain per 100 millilitres to count as low sugar?
Q3What is the difference between a use-by date and a best-before date?
Q4About how much does one teaspoon of sugar weigh?
Q5What amount is nutrition information usually based on, to make comparison easy?
8Recap Recap
- A food label shows the name, ingredient list, nutrition information, net weight, dates and storage instructions.
- Ingredients run from the largest amount to the smallest, with the first item the biggest.
- No more than five grams of sugar per 100 millilitres is low sugar; no more than three grams of fat per 100 grams is low fat.
- Never eat past a use-by date; quality drops after a best-before date.
- Smart shoppers compare sugar, fat and sodium instead of trusting words on the front of the pack.