As you take your seat in the kopi-tiam in the morning and the uncle asks, “Lim simi?”, have a little thought for your brew. Are you a kopi (coffee) drinker, a tea drinker? Or do you go for soya milk or fruit juice? All of these pack a surprising amount of sugar in their ‘regular’ serving (see the box below).
It’s not hard, though, to make a better choice. Just say “siu dai” (less sweet) when you order your drink, and you’ll already cut about one-and-a-half teaspoons of sugar from your diet. You’ll appreciate the aromas of your drink more, too. In fact, teh-C-kosong reportedly tastes much like the famous Hong Kong milk tea.
At lunch or dinner, instead of a soft drink, why not opt for a packet drink with a Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS) ? The HCS indicates at least 25% less sugar than a similar product. You are still spoilt for choice, because drinks carrying this logo include Asian drinks like chrysanthemum tea and bandung, juice drinks and canned drinks. Look out also for drinks which are labeled “Unsweetened”, “Less sugar”, “Reduced sugar”, or “Low in sugar”. But really, nothing quenches thirst like water, or is as healthful.
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