From sugar to additives: The 5-second ingredient check every packaged snack shopper should know

Your packaged snack may not be what it seems. Here’s the 5-second ingredient check you should make before putting them in your cart.

Walk down any supermarket aisle, and you will find snacks making all sorts of promises. High protein, baked, natural, and made with real ingredients, but before you pick up a pack based on what is written on the front, Shoury Gupta, founder and CEO of Patang, advises building a habit to turn it around. The ingredient list can tell you more about a snack than its packaging ever will. And you do not need to spend five minutes decoding it. A five-second scan can tell you quite a lot.

Check first few ingredients

Start with the first three to five ingredients. “Ingredients are generally listed in descending order by weight, so what appears at the top makes up the largest part of what you are eating,” said Shoury. If you see familiar foods such as nuts, grains, spices or pulses, you have a good starting point. If the list is dominated by refined starches, added sugar or ingredients you would struggle to recognise, it is worth taking a closer look.

Ingredients are generally listed in descending order by weight, so what appears at the top makes up the largest part of what you are eating.

Look at the oil

According to Shoury, sugar can appear under different names, so it helps to scan the ingredient list rather than relying only on the front-of-pack claims.

A quick glance can tell you whether the snack relies on an oil you are comfortable eating regularly.

Check for additives

Finally, look beyond what has been added and consider what the snack actually offers. Is there some fibre? Protein? Nuts, grains, pulses or other naturally nutrient-rich ingredients? A snack should ideally offer something beyond simply filling the gap between meals.

The next time you reach for a packet, spend five seconds looking beyond the front. Read the first few ingredients. Check the oil, look for added sugar, and see what nutritional value the ingredients bring. Because sometimes, the simplest way to make a better snack choice is simply to turn the packet around.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.