The Allure of Front-of-Pack Claims
Food brands spend crores on packaging designed to catch your eye and suggest health. Buzzwords tap into our desire for nutritious options, creating a “health halo” around products that may not be as wholesome as they appear. The Food Safety and Standards
Authority of India (FSSAI) has regulations to prevent misleading ads, and has recently cracked down on unsubstantiated claims. In recent months, authorities have issued over 150 notices to companies for false claims and non-compliant labelling. The regulator has even banned absolute claims like "100% pure" unless scientifically proven. This push for transparency is a positive step, but the first line of defence remains the shopper. The front is for marketing; the back is for facts.
Decoding Common 'Healthy' Buzzwords
Many popular terms have flexible meanings. A product labelled "natural" might simply contain ingredients derived from natural sources, but can still be highly processed. The claim "no added sugar" means no table sugar was added during manufacturing. However, the product could still be high in natural sugars from fruit concentrates or sweetened with sugar alcohols. Similarly, "multigrain" or "made with whole grains" only guarantees that some whole grains are present—it doesn't tell you how much. The main ingredient could still be refined flour (maida). Being aware of these nuances is the first step toward seeing past the hype.
The Real Story Is in the Ingredients List
The single most important habit for any smart shopper is to turn the pack over and read the ingredients. According to FSSAI rules, all ingredients must be listed in descending order by weight. This means the first two or three ingredients make up the bulk of the product. If sugar, maida, or palm oil are at the top of the list for a product claiming to be healthy, you should be sceptical. Sugar is a master of disguise and can appear under many names, like glucose syrup, maltodextrin, dextrose, or invert syrup. If you see multiple types of sugar listed separately, it’s a strategy to keep “sugar” from appearing as the main ingredient.
Making Sense of the Nutrition Facts Table
The nutrition table can feel technical, but you only need to focus on a few key lines. FSSAI mandates that all packaged foods display nutritional information. The most useful column for comparing products is the 'per 100g' column, not the 'per serving' one. Brands can choose an unrealistically small serving size to make calories, sugar, and fat seem lower. The 'per 100g' data provides a standardised way to compare two different brands of biscuits or snacks fairly. As a general guide for a 100g serving, over 1.5g of salt (or 600mg of sodium) is high, and over 22g of total sugars is considered high.
Putting It All Together in the Supermarket
You don't need to spend hours reading labels. Develop a quick three-step check. First, ignore the claims on the front. Second, read the first three ingredients to understand what the product is actually made of. Third, glance at the 'per 100g' column for sugar and sodium. This simple routine takes only a few seconds and can transform you from a passive consumer into an informed one. As awareness grows and regulators push for clearer front-of-pack warnings, these skills will become even more crucial for navigating the grocery aisle and making genuine healthy choices for you and your family.
