You pick up a packet. On the front, it says “sugar-free.”
Sounds reassuring. But then another question appears:
What does that actually tell you?
Maybe the product really does meet the requirements for a “sugar-free” nutrition claim. Maybe it is simply not the right choice for what you're looking for.
The problem is that one phrase on the front of a package rarely tells you the whole story.
And that can make grocery shopping surprisingly tiring — especially when you're already trying to make more thoughtful choices about food.
The good news?
You don't have to become a nutrition expert to read a food label more carefully.
You just need to know where to look.
Start with the front of the pack - but don't stop there
The front of a package is designed to help you understand what a product is and highlight particular features.
You might see phrases such as:
- “Sugar-free”
- “No added sugar”
- “High in fibre”
- “Low fat”
- “Cholesterol-free”
These are not meaningless words. In Singapore, nutrition claims such as “sugar-free” are subject to requirements, and food products carrying nutrition claims must provide supporting nutrition information.[1]
But a claim is still a specific claim.
It doesn't automatically tell you everything about the food.
That's why the most useful habit is simple:
Read the front to understand the claim. Read the back to understand the product.
1. Look at the ingredient list
The ingredient list is one of the simplest places to start.
In Singapore, ingredients on prepacked foods are listed in descending order by weight.[1][2]
That means the ingredient list can help you understand what actually goes into the product, rather than relying only on the words used to describe it.
This doesn't automatically make the product “bad.”
It simply gives you more information.
When reading the ingredient list, ask:
- What are the main ingredients?
- How long is the ingredient list?
- Are there ingredients you don't recognize?
- Are there ingredients you're specifically trying to limit or avoid?
And remember: unfamiliar does not automatically mean unhealthy.
The goal isn't to become suspicious of every ingredient.
The goal is to know what you're actually buying.
2. Then look at the Nutrition Information Panel
This is where the label becomes much more useful.
The Nutrition Information Panel, or NIP, provides information such as energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate, dietary fibre and sodium. Depending on the product and its claims, other nutrients may also be listed.[1][2]
For someone managing diabetes, carbohydrate information can be particularly relevant.
And this is where a common misunderstanding about “sugar-free” becomes important.
“Sugar-free” does not mean “carbohydrate-free”
A food can meet the requirements for a “sugar-free” claim and still contain carbohydrate from sources other than sugars. HealthHub specifically notes that “sugar-free” does not mean carbohydrate-free, because starch also contributes to carbohydrate content.[2]
So if the front of the pack says:
SUGAR-FREE
don't stop there.
Look at the nutrition panel too.
That doesn't mean the product is automatically unsuitable.
It means the claim is telling you one thing, while the nutrition panel can tell you more.
3. Check whether you're comparing like with like
Here's another easy mistake to make.
One product might show:
Per serving
while another shows:
Per 100g
Those numbers aren't directly comparable unless you're looking at the same basis.
HealthHub and SFA guidance note that serving sizes can vary, and comparing nutritional content per 100g or per 100ml can provide a fairer basis for comparing similar products.[1][2]
For example, imagine two products with different serving sizes.
One says:
5g carbohydrate per serving
Another says:
8g carbohydrate per serving
At first glance, the first product looks lower.
But what if its stated serving is half the size?
That's why the comparison needs to happen on the same basis.
A useful label habit:
- Compare per 100g with per 100g.
- Compare per 100ml with per 100ml.
- Then look at the serving size to understand how much food the stated serving represents.
4. Don't let one word make the entire decision for you
This is perhaps the biggest shift.
Instead of asking:
“Does this package say something healthy?”
try asking:
“What does the whole label tell me?”
A “sugar-free” claim may answer a question about sugar content.
An ingredient list tells you what goes into the product.
The Nutrition Information Panel gives you more information about its nutritional composition.
The serving size tells you the basis on which the nutrition information is presented.
Each piece answers a different question.
Together, they give you a much clearer picture.
5. Be careful with “no added sugar,” too
“No added sugar” and “sugar-free” are not interchangeable terms.
HealthHub notes that “no added sugar” means additional sugar was not added during manufacturing. It does not necessarily mean that the food contains no naturally occurring sugars or that it has fewer calories.[2]
So again, the answer isn't to automatically trust the claim.
But it isn't to automatically distrust it either.
Instead:
Understand what the claim actually means.
Then check the rest of the label.
What should someone actually look at?
When standing in the supermarket aisle, you don't need to inspect every tiny detail of every package.
That is often a much more useful starting point than simply asking whether a product looks “healthy.”
What about products marketed for people with diabetes?
This is where being a little more careful can help.
Words such as “diabetic-friendly” may sound like they answer a much bigger question than they actually do.
Singapore's HealthHub advises people to look beyond labels and consider the actual nutritional information, including carbohydrate and other relevant nutrients.[2]
SFA also advises consumers to be cautious of exaggerated claims and to use food labels to make informed choices.[1]
So rather than asking:
“Is this a diabetes food?”
a more useful question is:
“What information can I verify about this food?”
That's a much stronger position to make a decision from.
You don't have to become suspicious of food
Reading labels carefully isn't about turning every grocery trip into an investigation.
And it doesn't mean that a food with a health-related claim is automatically misleading.
It simply means one claim doesn't have to carry the entire decision.
This matters because food is part of everyday life.
Rice.
Dosa.
Pongal.
Snacks.
Breakfast foods.
The meals families actually cook and eat.
Making more thoughtful choices doesn't have to mean becoming afraid of every packet or feeling that you need to find the “perfect” food.
Sometimes, it simply means knowing how to look past the biggest words on the front.
A better question to ask at the shelf
Instead of asking:
“Can I trust this label?”
try:
“What can this label actually tell me?”
That small change makes the decision much more practical.
You don't have to blindly trust the front of the pack.
You don't have to reject it, either.
Read the claim. Check the ingredients. Look at the nutrition panel. Understand the serving size. Then decide.
If you have a medical condition or specific dietary needs, your healthcare professional can help you understand how individual food choices fit your circumstances.[1]
How HealMeal approaches food information
At HealMeal, we believe food should be more than a collection of claims printed on a packet.
When we bring food products to Singapore, we look at what goes into them, how they are made, and the standards behind them — because making a more thoughtful food choice starts with having information you can actually understand.
We also believe that familiar food still matters.
The goal isn't to make everyday eating feel more complicated.
It's to make it easier to understand what you're choosing.
Because better food decisions start with better information.
Learn more about how HealMeal approaches the food we bring to Singapore.
The takeaway
The next time a package catches your attention with a big health-sounding claim, pause for a second.
Don't just ask:
“Is this good?”
Ask:
- What exactly is it claiming?
- What's in the product?
- What does the nutrition panel say?
- What does the serving size mean?
- How does it compare with another option?
You don't need to know everything about nutrition to become a more informed shopper.
You just need to know where to look next.
Sources
-
Singapore Food Agency — Understanding Food & Nutrition Labels Before Purchase
https://www.sfa.gov.sg/food-safety-tips/food-risk-concerns/understanding-food-nutrition-labels-before-purchase -
HealthHub — Shop with Care | Diabetes Hub
https://www.healthhub.sg/programmes/diabetes-hub/shop-with-care -
HealthHub — Reading Food Labels
https://www.healthhub.sg/well-being-and-lifestyle/food-diet-and-nutrition/reading-food-labels
