Have you ever been unwittingly fed pills, powders or dubious liquids by your parents who just want you to grow up strong and health, or to perform at your best during exams? Don’t worry, you’re not alone – generations of Singaporeans have endured being force fed these “health supplements” even though there’s no solid scientific proof they actually work.
Let’s take a look at some of these nostalgic health supplements – they still exist today – that have fueled an entire nation’s childhood.
Halal Foods Booster
It may look like a spoof photo, but it’s a real product that existed in the 90s! It’s still sold today (thankfully with a different tin design), much to the surprise of those who were force fed the stuff every morning during their schooling days. The powder was mixed with either water or milk, and then shaken in a tumbler that came with the product.
For the Malay (and Indian) community, this product was a big deal for teenagers of the 90s – they even had top Malay PSLE students endorsing them. Most users were exposed to the product via Malay radio stations that were regularly promoting it. What’s more, the images of graduating Caucasians were supposed to be an endorsement to its efficacy as a brain booster. It’s listed to be packed with protein and Omega 3, along with vitamins and minerals.
Those who remember being force fed this concoction had lots to say. Some said that it didn’t do anything to improve their memories. One ex-user actually said that it “didn’t give me brains, only diarrhea.” Another said: “Fast forward almost 30 years later, I don’t even hold a degree, my PSLE results were so-so, and I flung my ‘O’s.”
Scott’s Emulsion
They say a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, but not so when the spoon is filled with a dollop of the fishy potion known as Scott’s Emulsion. Kids who grew up in the ’70s or ’80s, will probably remember how their moms or grandmas would feed them that healthy but yucky “tonic” every day! The emulsion may look as innocent as evaporated milk, but had the flavour of an entire wet market – it’s derived from the liver tissue of codfish.
In the mid-20th century, tuberculosis and infant mortality were rampant in Singapore, so folks sought comfort in the magic of supplements – one of them was Scott’s Emulsion. It was given to children to help build their immunity, and to aid in growth of bone structure. Growing up, Gen Xers were often given their daily dose of Scott’s Emulsion before school, and till today, many still remember the stomach-churning taste, and also the logo featuring a man with a fish on his back. One ex-user recalled: “I’ve had that yellow cod liver oil for 10 years. Until today, I don’t dare to eat fish.” Another user had a worse reacion: “I had to squeeze my nose and close my eyes, and then rinse my mouth after drinking that. Afterwards, I just gagged and gagged!”
Here’s the thing: it was also a popular force-fed remedy pretty much all over the world, from Australia to Europe, and even the US (it was established in 1876 in New York after all).
Thankfully, Scott’s introduced an orange-flavoured version in the late 80s and it became a lot easier for (most) kids to swallow.
Brands Essence of Chicken
Most of us today to associate drinking Brand’s Essence of Chicken as a pre-exam potion for performance, and to reinforce that messaging, you’ll see their ads pop up whenever there’s a major exam like PSLE! So, it comes as no surprise that many students are still force fed the stuff today. One user “was forced to drink it from PSLE all the way to O Levels. Came to JC and now taking A Levels, ahh, here we go again.”
This vile concoction can be traced back to the late 1820s in the UK. The chicken essence we know today was supposedly a remedy for King George IV, whose health deteriorated due to his indulgent lifestyle. Concocted by royal chef HW Brand (hence the tonic’s name), this thick chicken soup actually boosted His Majesty’s health, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Brand’s Essence of Chicken came to Singapore in the 1920s and it’s been popular as a health elixir ever since. In the ’90s, it was advertised as “drink once a week”, and in the 2000s, the message had changed to “drink every day.” Many of us can claim that our moms and aunties swear by the stuff – and some actually liked the flavour of blackened, concentrated chicken essence. One mum actually said: “I was forced to drink it. Forced my two kids to drink it.” Whether or not the essence works as a brain booster or health tonic, one thing’s for sure: Asians love the stuff.
Yakult or Vitagen
In terms of supplements, most of us actually love the taste of these probiotic drinks, so no one force fed us. But did you know that both Yakult and Vitagen were available in Singapore way back in the 70s? And they’ve been embroiled in a war of dominance ever since!
The first to appear in Singapore was Vitagen, which was made in Malaysia back in 1977. It was touted as a health drink to improve intestinal function – at least one bottle per day to improve bowel movements for people who tend to be constipated. Then Yakult from Japan came into the scene in 1979 and set about gaining sales. Needless to say, both Vitagen and Yakult tried to duke it out with advertising throughout the 80s. Households had either Vitagen or Yakult, and not both. In the early days, Yakult didn’t have any fruit flavours like Vitagen did so they went about things in a different way.
Back in the 80s, these probiotic drinks were not just sold at the supermarket. You could get them at schools, where kids would try to earn themselves a Yakult Goodness Gang Badge by collecting 5 metallic bottle covers. Of course, there were free home deliveries: Yakult Ladies would sell and deliver orders door to door! You can still see Yakult Ladies today across Asia (there’s Yakult Obasan in Japan and Yakult Ajumma in Korea).
Mysterious pink tablet
For primary school kids growing up in the 70s and 80s, brushing their teeth was actually a communal affair. They were usually made to brush their teeth with a coloured mug in school during recess time, where they’d squat by a drain or a large sink with all their classmates. Along with brushing, kids were also given a little pink tablet which made their teeth pinkish-purple.
These were actually plaque disclosing tablets, which when chewed, quickly reveals all the places where plaque still remain after bushing. Little did they know, it was meant to teach kids to brush their teeth properly. So kids back in the day weren’t only force fed supplements, they were also forced to brush their teeth in public.
If you’re one of those being force fed these supplements today, just remember that your parents had to endure the same routine in their youth.
Want more doses of nostalgia? Check out these nostalgic items that are still sold today (sometimes at hipster shops).
