Look Beyond the Front-Label Buzzwords
The front of a package is designed to sell, not to educate. It uses appealing colours and buzzwords to create a 'health halo' around a product. Terms like 'natural', 'wholesome', or 'multigrain' are often unregulated and can be misleading. For example,
a 'multigrain' bread may not be 'whole grain' and could be made mostly of refined flour. Similarly, a product 'made with real fruit' might contain only a tiny amount of fruit puree, with sugar being a more prominent ingredient. Studies have shown that these front-of-package claims are not reliable indicators of a food's healthiness. The first step to becoming a smarter consumer is simple: turn the package over. The real story is on the back.
Master the 'Per 100g' Column
The Nutrition Facts panel is your most powerful tool, but it has a trick. You will often see two columns: 'per serving' and 'per 100g/100ml'. Always focus on the 'per 100g' column. This is the only way to make a fair comparison between two different products, as manufacturers can set their own, often unrealistically small, serving sizes to make their product appear healthier. By using the 'per 100g' value, you are comparing like with like. Look for key nutrients like total sugars, sodium, and saturated fat. As a general guide for Indian packaged foods, anything over about 1.5g of salt (or 600mg of sodium) per 100g is considered high. For sugar, over 22g per 100g is high, while under 5g is low.
The Ingredient List Tells the Real Story
If the nutrition panel tells you 'what', the ingredient list tells you 'how'. Ingredients are always listed in descending order by weight. This means the first three ingredients make up the majority of what you're eating. If sugar, salt, or a type of fat is listed in the top three, you know it's a primary component, regardless of any health claims on the front. Be wary of long, complicated lists with words you can't pronounce, as this often indicates a highly processed product. Also, learn to spot hidden sugars. Sugar can be disguised under many names, like corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, or maltodextrin. Sometimes manufacturers use several different types so that no single one appears at the top of the list.
Always Question the Serving Size
Look closely at the 'serving size' listed at the top of the nutrition panel. Is it realistic? A serving size for a packet of chips might be listed as only 10 chips, or a bottle of a sugary drink might be listed as having two or more servings. Ask yourself how much you are actually likely to consume in one sitting. If you typically eat the whole package, you need to multiply the calories, sugar, and fat by the number of servings in that package to understand your true intake. This simple mental maths often reveals that a seemingly 'light' snack is actually a significant source of calories and sugar.
Become a Smart Comparer
Now, put it all together in the supermarket aisle. Let's say you want to buy a packet of biscuits. Pick up two different brands. Ignore the claims on the front. Turn them both over. First, compare them using the 'per 100g' column to see which is lower in sugar and sodium. Next, glance at the ingredient list for both. Which one has 'whole wheat flour' listed before 'maida' (refined flour)? Which one has fewer unpronounceable additives? This five-second check, focusing on the per 100g data and the first few ingredients, will give you a far more accurate picture of which product is the better choice than any marketing claim.
Check for Essential FSSAI Details
In India, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) sets the rules. Look for the FSSAI logo and license number on the package. This is a mandatory requirement and indicates that the product complies with the country's food safety regulations. You should also see a clear declaration for vegetarian (a green dot) or non-vegetarian (a brown dot) food items. While this doesn't tell you if a food is healthy, its presence is a basic sign of compliance and transparency from the manufacturer.
