"New 5 Senses of Health" Labels to Help You Control Calories

When eating out, people always find it difficult to control calories when choosing food, making weight loss a nightmare! The Wanhua District Health Service Center in Taipei City pioneered the "New 5 Senses of Health" calorie labeling at the Huaxi Street Night Market, converting food into clear radar icons and percentage displays so that people can see clearly and enjoy delicious food while taking care of their health.

It is difficult for people who eat out to balance calories when choosing food. (Photography by Huang Zhiwen)

A calorie chart of the "New Five Senses of Health" based on daily nutrient intake. (Photo provided by Wanhua District Health Service Center)

Diagram of the "New Five Senses of Health". (Photo provided by Wanhua District Health Service Center)

Director Chen Meiling of the Wanhua District Health Service Center said that general nutritional analysis is displayed in numbers, which are confusing to the public. In order to make it easier for the public to understand, the calorie label of the "New Five Senses of Health" consisting of "sense of vitality, sense of fat, sense of sweetness, sense of comfort and sense of desire" was specially introduced. Currently, 12 stall owners around Huaxi Street have proposed 17 products for trial operation, and provided stall owners with free DM leaflets.

Director Chen Meiling pointed out that the concept of the design originated from the Department of Health's recommendation for the daily nutrient intake of the Chinese people. The basic calorie value for adults is 2000 kcal. The daily nutrients are composed of five senses: vitality (60 grams of protein), fat thickness (55 grams of fat), sweetness (320 grams of sugars), comfort (20 grams of fiber) and desire (2400 mg of sodium content). In addition to using a radar icon to indicate that 1 grid is 20% of the ratio, the text is also enlarged, so that people can eat healthily and achieve the goal of a balanced diet easily, and satisfy their appetite when visiting the night market. The good intentions are not discounted!

Director Chen Meiling also mentioned that the night market in Wanhua District is densely populated, with about 188 stalls of all sizes. For example, the snake soup, sauced tomatoes, and roasted mochi on Huaxi Street, and the pineapple cakes, squid soup, and fried rice noodles at Monga Night Market are quite well-known. It is hoped that by promoting healthy eating, the public can be taught to choose food wisely and pay attention to night market delicacies and how to match them so that they can eat more balanced and healthier.

Keep these tips in mind to maintain a healthy weight. (Photo provided by Wanhua District Health Service Center)