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Does a food label look like Greek to you?
A supermarket guide in 5 tricks, to help you choose products that fit your goals. Real examples from Portuguese shelves, informed choices, less time in the aisles.
- Choosing between two similar products
- “Light”, “zero”, “sugars-free”: the difference
- Portuguese label words, in English
Reviewed by anutritionist- Choosing between two similar products
- “Light”, “zero”, “sugars-free”: the difference
- Portuguese label words, in English
Free and online, no sign-up. The printable PDF is in Portuguese.
Jump right in
Five tricks and three extras, with real examples from Portuguese supermarkets and the label words in English. Start wherever you like.
- Trick 1 / 5The big wordThe big words on a pack usually fall into five groups. Which two deserve the most attention?
- Trick 2 / 5The [%] next to the ingredientWhen the front highlights an ingredient, the pack usually has to say how much. Where do you look?
- Trick 3 / 5The first three on the listWhat the first three ingredients tell you, and what they don’t.
- Trick 4 / 5The word that changes the sugar“Sem açúcares” or “sem açúcares adicionados”? One word, very different numbers.
- Trick 5 / 5Compare on the same basisNot every pack has a traffic light. What do you do when there isn’t one?
- The tableThe table in four numbersFat, saturated fat, sugars and salt: four numbers that cover almost everything.
- SurpriseSugar in a burger?Sugar turns up where you least expect it. Here’s where to look.
- BonusReading the table, no maths neededFour glances, always in the same order, from the 100 g column to the colours.
The guide’s card for your phone: 5 questions and 4 numbers to take to the shop.
- Ingredients list
- 22 ingredients to look for
- Nutrition table
- What does light mean?
- Traffic-light labels
- Per 100 g or per portion?
- The big word
How often have you stood in the aisle comparing two products, not knowing which to take?
That’s why we made this guide.
This guide is for you if
- you want to choose better without spending longer on the shopping
- you’ve picked up a “healthy” pack and had your doubts
- you’ve got a sweet tooth and want to know where the sugar is
- you’ve never read a label and don’t know where to start
Made byFilipe Leal@fitnessfilipe
Filipe makes the videos that probably brought you here. He’s also a co-founder of Repeat, an early-stage healthy food project.
Technical content reviewSofia BeirãoNutritionist · Professional registration 6154N
Sofia worked with Repeat on this guide to check the accuracy of its nutritional content. Find her at @nutricionista_sofiabeirao.
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5 tricks to choose better
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