The Most Important First Step: Serving Size
Before you look at calories or fat, find the serving size. All the nutritional values listed are based on this amount, which is often much smaller than what you might eat in one sitting. Manufacturers can choose the serving size, so a packet of chips
might list numbers for a 30g serving, even if the bag is 200g. According to FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India), labels must provide information per 100g or 100ml, and sometimes also 'per serving'. The 'per 100g' column is your best friend for making fair comparisons between two different products. Always check if you're eating one serving or multiple, and adjust the numbers accordingly.
Calories: Your Energy Score
Calories (kcal) measure the energy you get from a food. An adult man doing sedentary work needs around 2,320 kcal per day, while a sedentary woman needs about 1,900 kcal. The calorie count on a label tells you how much one serving contributes to your daily energy needs. A food with less than 40 calories per serving is considered low-calorie. While important, calories aren't the whole story. The source of those calories—whether from protein, fat, or carbs—matters just as much for your health.
The Fat Breakdown: Good vs. Bad
Don’t fear all fats, but do read this section carefully. The label breaks down 'Total Fat' into sub-categories. 'Saturated Fat' and 'Trans Fat' are the ones to limit, as they can raise your risk of heart disease. FSSAI regulations state that if a product label says 'trans-fat-free', it must contain less than 0.2g of trans fat per serving. If you see 'partially hydrogenated oils' in the ingredient list, it means the product contains trans fats, even if the label claims 0g. The total fat number itself isn't as critical as the amount of these unhealthy fats.
Carbohydrates, Fibre, and Sneaky Sugars
This section covers 'Total Carbohydrates', which includes dietary fibre, natural sugars, and added sugars. Dietary fibre is excellent for digestion and overall health, with a recommended daily intake of 25-40g. The line to watch closely is 'Added Sugar'. This refers to sugar that doesn't occur naturally in the food but is added during processing. While there's no official RDA, health bodies suggest keeping added sugar intake low. As a quick guide, a food with over 22g of total sugar per 100g is considered high in sugar.
Protein and Sodium: The Building Blocks and The Watch-Out
Protein is vital for building and repairing body tissues. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for adults is about 0.83g of protein per kilogram of body weight. Sodium, on the other hand, is something to monitor. Indian labels usually list sodium, not salt. To convert, multiply the sodium amount by 2.5. An intake of over 1.5g of salt (or 600mg of sodium) per 100g is considered high and can contribute to high blood pressure. The daily limit is around 2,000mg of sodium.
Making Sense of %GDA or %DV
Some labels include a column for '% GDA' (Guideline Daily Amount) or '% DV' (Daily Value). This tells you what percentage of your recommended daily intake for a nutrient is met by one serving of the food. These calculations are typically based on a 2,000-calorie daily diet for an average adult. It’s a handy shortcut: a %DV of 5% or less is considered low for that nutrient, while 20% or more is high. This can help you quickly assess if a food is high in things you want to limit (like saturated fat or sodium) or rich in nutrients you need.
