Make Healthy Food & Grocery Choices
Healthier food choices made easy. Simply look out for the Healthier Choice Symbol and Healthier Dining Program identifiers for healthy food and grocery options.
Resources
Pick up useful tips and hacks on adopting healthier
food options when dining out and grocery shopping.
Nutri-Grade mark
The Nutri-Grade mark helps you understand the sugar and saturated fat content in your drinks, from Grade A being the lowest to Grade D being the highest.
Why was the Nutri-Grade mark developed?
High sugar intake is linked to an increased risk of obesity and diabetes. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends reducing sugar intake for better health. However, Singapore residents, on average, consume 12 teaspoons (or
60g) of sugar daily, with drinks contributing to more than half of our daily sugar intake. This exceeds WHO’s recommended daily sugar intake of 10 teaspoons (or 50g).
In addition to sugar, saturated fat is often added to drinks to improve their “mouth-feel”. Consuming a high amount of saturated fat can impair insulin action1, increasing the risk of diabetes.
The Ministry of Health (MOH), together with the Health Promotion Board (HPB), have introduced the Nutri-Grade mark to help consumers make more informed and healthier drink choices. It is mandatory for all drinks that are graded Nutri-Grade C or D to be labelled accordingly. This includes packaged drinks, those dispensed from automated drink dispensers, and freshly prepared drinks (starting from 30 December 20232). Advertising is prohibited for Nutri-Grade D drinks with high sugar and saturated fat content.
1UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Health: Saturated fats
and health (2018); Meyer et al. (2001); Riserus, Willet and Hu
2Smaller food businesses are exempted from the mandatory
labelling if they (a) earn a revenue of not more than S$1 million in the latest
financial year, and (b) sell or supply those drinks at fewer than 10 food
premises.
Nutri-Grade is a nutrition label that adopts a colour-coded system with four grades. Grade A, represented in green, indicates the lowest amounts of sugar and saturated fat.
Drinks graded Nutri-Grade C or D must be labelled with a Nutri-Grade mark on the front of packaged drinks and on menus, posters, signs and other materials. On the other hand, labelling of the Nutri-Grade
mark is optional for drinks graded Nutri-Grade A or B, but manufacturers and F&B operators are encouraged to do so to help consumers make informed choices.
The Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS) and Healthier Dining Programme (HDP) guidelines are aligned with the Nutri-Grade grading system. All healthier choice drinks are Nutri-Grade A or B. Drinks may carry only the Nutri-Grade A or B mark, the healthier choice identifier, or
both. There may also be Nutri-Grade A or B drinks without any identifiers, as manufacturers and F&B operators can opt out of participating in HCS or HDP, and displaying the optional “A” or “B” mark.
Sugar
The sugar content of a drink is indicated on the label as a percentage of the total volume. Sugar levels can be compared within the same grade to help with your purchasing decision. Toppings (such as pearls, jellies, ice-cream, whipped cream, etc), that
can be added to freshly prepared drinks must have their sugar content declared on menus, posters, signs and other materials (starting from 30 December 2023).
Saturated Fat
The saturated fat content of a drink is also a grading factor for Nutri-Grade drinks. If a drink is graded “B” based on sugar content but “C” based on saturated fat content, the final grade will take the poorer “C” grade.
Nutri-Grade can be used to help guide everyone's drink purchases. Even if a drink is graded Nutri-Grade C or D. This is especially so for consumers with specific needs, such as parents of young children, who still require full-cream milk for their 1 to 2 year old children (2 to 3 cups a day), or seniors who may have difficulties chewing whole fruits and require 100% fruit juice to supplement their nutritional needs (no more than 1 cup a day).
All packaged drinks (graded “C” or “D”) sold in Singapore are required to display the Nutri-Grade mark. Packaged drinks that have no Nutri-Grade marks are either Grade "A" or "B" as labelling is optional. Starting from 30 December 2023, the Nutri-Grade
mark will be expanded to include freshly prepared drinks as well.
The Nutri-Grade measures will apply to drinks sold across all retail and non-retail settings. For freshly prepared drinks, a concession will be provided to individuals and entities running smaller food
businesses that earn an annual revenue of not more than $1 million and sell drinks at fewer than 10 food premises.
Limit your intake of Nutri-Grade C or D drinks. Choose healthier choice drinks, Nutri-Grade A or B drinks, or simply drink water to help minimise your intake of sugar and saturated fat.
Explore the wide range of Nutri-Grade A and B drinks to help limit your intake of sugar and saturated fat here.
1. What is the difference between the Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS), Healthier Dining Programme (HDP), and Nutri-Grade for drinks?
The Nutri-Grade mark is a labelling scheme for drinks based on their sugar and saturated fat content. The HCS and HDP are voluntary programmes for manufacturers and F&B operators respectively, to provide consumers with information about healthier options
through front-of-pack labels and menu labels. These initiatives will continue to coexist.
To help you in making informed drink choices, look out for healthier choice identifiers, Nutri-Grade A or B, or simply choose water to reduce your sugar and saturated fat intake.
Nutri-Grade
Healthier
Choice Symbol (HCS)
Nature of scheme
- Labelling is mandatory for beverages graded “C” and “D”
- Labelling is optional for beverages graded “A” and “B”
- Labelling is voluntary across different food & beverage products
- Products are at least 25% lower in sugar and saturated fats compared to products in the same category
Nutritional criteria
- Applicable for beverages based on sugar and saturated fats content
- Applicable for Nutri-Grade beverages graded “A” and “B” based on sugar and saturated fats content
- Includes other nutritional aspects such as sodium, calcium and wholegrain content
2. Why are some drinks graded Nutri-Grade C or D but show 0% sugar content or no added sugar?
Nutri-Grade grades drinks based on both sugar and saturated fat content. The sugar content refers to the drink’s total sugar content, minus the declared amount of lactose and/or galactose from its Nutrition Information Panel (NIP).
“0% sugar” means that the drink does not contain any sugar. It may, however still contain saturated fat. Manufacturers may sometimes add saturated fat to improve the drink’s "mouth-feel" or creaminess.
If the saturated fat content is above 1.2 grams per 100ml, the drink will receive a Nutri-Grade C or D grade.
On the other hand, “no added sugar” implies that the manufacturing process did not involve the addition of extra sugar. Drinks such as juices are higher in sugar and graded “C” or “D” as they contain
naturally occurring sugar (e.g. fructose), which is derived from fruits.
Certain Nutri-Grade C and D drinks may still be required in moderation for those with specific dietary needs, such as full cream milk for children aged 1 to 2 years, and 100% juice for seniors with difficulty
in chewing whole fruit.
3. Some milk-based drinks are graded Nutri-Grade C, while some soft drinks have a “B” grade. Does this mean that these soft drinks are healthier?
The Nutri-Grade grading system
is based on the sugar and saturated fat content of drinks, both of which are linked to the risk of diabetes. It is best to use Nutri-Grade to make informed choices within the same drinks category to
help you identify options that are lower in sugar and saturated fat.
Full-fat milk is graded “C” due to its higher saturated fat content compared to low-fat milk. However, it is recognised as a good source of other nutrients like protein and calcium. For 1 – 2 year-olds,
full-fat milk is necessary to provide adequate fat, protein, vitamins and minerals essential for their growth and development.
On the other hand, soft drinks are high in calories from sugar with little or zero nutrients. If you plan to consume soft drinks, choosing those graded Nutri-Grade A or B instead of C or D can help to reduce your sugar intake. Or simply choose water which is an excellent thirst quencher and contains no sugar or saturated fat.
Healthier Choice Symbol
Choosing healthier groceries
Shopping for healthier food choices? Just look out for the Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS). The HCS can be found on the packaging of more than 4,000 different products across over 100 food and beverage categories - such as convenience meals, sauces, drinks, snacks and breakfast cereals. HCS makes it easier to find healthier choice products when we’re out shopping!
Make the healthier choice today!
As compared to regular products within the same category, products carrying the Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS) are generally higher in wholegrains, calcium, and lower in sodium, sugar, and saturated fat.
Read MoreWhen we are shopping
Focus on a few key nutrients
Keep an eye out for specific nutrients that have a bigger impact on your health.
Individuals with
weight concerns
Pick products with more dietary fibre, fewer calories, and lower fat and sugar content. The serving size can help you decide how much to eat in one sitting.
Individuals with diabetes
Take note of the carbohydrate and fibre content, as they affect blood sugar levels.
Individuals with hypertension
Choose products with lower sodium content.
Nutrition Information Panel
How do we use the Nutrition Information Panel (NIP)?
The NIP can help us make healthier food choices by showing us the amount of nutrients we are getting out of each serving of food.
As the serving sizes of these two products differ, comparing them using the “per serving” values would be inaccurate.
- We can make a fair comparison only by using values in the “per 100g” column.
- Bread A contains lower fat, lower saturated fat, and higher dietary fibre than Bread B. Thus it is a healthier choice compared to Bread B.
Here’s a sample NIP for a pack of dried apricots:
If we are planning to eat a whole pack of dried apricots, we would be eating 4 servings.
The calorie content is 106 kcal per serving, so the calorie intake for the entire packet would be 106 kcal x 4 servings = 424 kcal
Compare our nutritional intake against the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) to check if we are eating the optimal portions for our health.
Learn MoreHealthier Dining Programme
Choosing healthier meals
Whether we are eating out, ordering takeaway or a delivery, there is a variety of healthier and delicious meals for our enjoyment.
Look out for healthier choice identifiers at hawker centres, restaurants, cafes, kiosks, and many more!
Recommended Reads:
Tips on Cooking Wholegrains
Learn MoreHow to Choose the Correct Cooking Oil
Learn MoreRestaurant Guide to Healthier Eating
Learn MoreUseful tools
Sodium Calculator
We consume nearly twice the sodium* we need. This leads to health risks such as hypertension, heart failure and stroke.
Check your sodium intake with our calculator to ensure you’re within the daily recommended amount of 2,000 mg.
*Sodium is a mineral that is found in salt and also occurs naturally in foods
BMI and Calorie Calculator
Did you know that your daily calorie needs vary depending on your activity levels and lifestyle? Find out now with our revamped Body Mass Index (BMI) and Calorie Calculator. Just answer four simple questions to know your BMI and the number of calories you really require daily for a healthier lifestyle. You can also track your daily calorie intake with the Meal Log tool below this calculator.
Healthy 365 Meal Log Tool
Track your daily calorie intake easily with the Meal Log tool on the Healthy 365 app and understand your eating habits over time. You can then make necessary changes to improve your diet or achieve your weight management goals.
Nutri-Grade A and B Drinks
Explore the list of drink options that are lower in sugar and saturated fats.
Singapore Food Insights Database (SG FoodID): Food Search Tool
Search, compare & download nutritional information of food & drinks in Singapore. This tool was formerly FOCOS Energy & Nutrient Composition in Foods.
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