Packaged foods can often be high in salt, fat, sugar and kilojoules. Use FoodSwitch to see what’s in the food you’re eating and make better food choices when grocery shopping for you and your family.
Select which mode to use to scan your food products, depending on you and your family’s needs. FoodSwitch classic can be used for everyone looking to make generally healthier food choices. SaltSwitch mode has been designed to help people looking specifically to lower their salt intake. GlutenSwitch mode helps people living with coeliac disease or gluten intolerance.
Scan barcodes of packaged foods with a supported smartphone or tablet camera for easy-to-interpret nutritional information for up to 90 percent of packaged products in most major Australian grocery stores. You’ll get traffic light-style colour-coded ratings for 4 key food components (total fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt). If you’re in GlutenSwitch mode, the app will also help you find out whether a food product contains gluten.
Get a list of similar foods that are healthier choices. SaltSwitch offers healthier choices with a lower amount of salt. In GlutenSwitch mode, the app lists any gluten-free alternatives in order of how healthy they are.
Save your healthy favourites on a shopping list ready to make the switch next time you shop. Export your lists or share them with your friends via social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter and email).
While it’s recommended everyone avoids a high salt diet, SaltSwitch is a great tool if you’re watching your intake more closely – especially if you’ve been diagnosed with or have a family history of high blood pressure, heart disease or kidney disease, and are trying to follow your doctors’ advice to eat a low-salt diet.
GlutenSwitch can tell you if packaged food products contain gluten, and help you find similar foods that are gluten-free. This can help people living with coeliac disease or gluten intolerance to make better food choices.
“As parents, we all want our kids to eat well. However, up until now, it hasn’t been easy to get help in a simple way that lets you make informed food choices for your family. The best part of the FoodSwitch app is that it takes the guesswork out of shopping by arming Australians with options for healthier products to purchase.”
- Nicole Livingstone, FoodSwitch ambassador, Olympian and mum
“In the absence of mandatory front-of-pack labelling, FoodSwitch has the potential to help many consumers who want to make healthier decisions but find it difficult to navigate the complex information on food labels.”
- CHOICE
“The Heart Foundation is very supportive of tools that help consumers make healthier choices.”
- National Heart Foundation of Australia
"Thank you for such a fantastic app. My kids knocked back some chips after they saw all the ‘reds’. I couldn’t believe that they made the choice of not buying them."
- FoodSwitch user
Download this free app from the App Store or Google Play Store™.
Please note that if you’re using a smartphone or tablet without a camera capable of auto-focus, FoodSwitch may not be compatible with this device. Without auto-focus, the pictures of the barcode will be blurry and FoodSwitch will be unable to identify the barcode. Users with iPhone 3G may find that scanning does not work in all conditions as the camera has a fixed-focus lens.
For more information about FoodSwitch, and answers to commonly asked questions, check out our FAQ.
Disclaimer
iTunes and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries, App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.
Android and Google Play are trademarks of Google Inc
© The George Institute for Global Health Dec 2011. FoodSwitch provides nutritional information and healthier alternatives based on a scientific algorithm developed by The George Institute for Global Health and licensed to Bupa Australia Pty Ltd ABN 81 000 057 590 (“Bupa”). The information has been developed and reviewed by health professionals and to the best of their knowledge is current and based on reputable sources of evidence at the time of publishing.
Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the data, no warranty of this accuracy is provided. All users, especially those with special dietary requirements or food sensitivities, should assess the accuracy and relevance of this information for their personal circumstances. The information should be used as a guide only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional medical advice.
The George Institute and Bupa is not liable for any loss or damage you suffer arising out of the use of or reliance on the information, except that which cannot be excluded by law. We recommend that you consult your doctor or other qualified health professional if you have questions or concerns about your, or your family’s health.
The George Institute for Global Health is improving the lives of millions of people worldwide through innovative health research. The Institute has a global network of medical and health experts working together to address the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. One of the Institute’s key objectives, which Bupa shares, is to develop tools that empower people to improve their own health – like this app.
