The Serving Size Illusion
The nutrition information on a food label is your window into what you are about to consume. However, this window can often be foggy. According to regulations from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), manufacturers must declare nutritional
values. But a common tactic creates confusion: using unrealistically small serving sizes. For instance, a packet of biscuits might list nutritional data for a serving of just three biscuits, even though most people would eat more. A small packet of a savoury snack might claim to contain two servings, which is an unlikely scenario for práctico consumption. This makes the calorie, sugar, and fat content seem deceptively low at a glance, a phenomenon some experts call the 'health halo'. This isn't just an inconvenience; it's a significant barrier to making genuinely informed health decisions, as what you actually eat is often double or triple the listed serving.
Your Best Tool: The 'Per 100g' Column
While the 'per serving' data can be misleading, Indian regulations mandate a far more useful metric: nutritional information listed ‘per 100g’ or ‘per 100ml’. This is the key to a fair comparison. Unlike serving sizes, which can be arbitrarily set by different brands for similar products, the 'per 100g' column provides a standardised baseline. Whether you are comparing breakfast cereals, snacks, or ready-to-eat meals, this column allows for a true like-for-like assessment. By ignoring the 'per serving' values initially and focusing solely on the 'per 100g' data, you can quickly determine which product is genuinely lower in sugar, sodium, or saturated fat, regardless of the packet size or the manufacturer's suggested portion. This simple shift in focus empowers you to see past the marketing and understand the true nutritional profile of the food.
A Quick Guide to a 10-Second Label Check
When you're short on time, you don't need to be a nutritionist to make a better choice. Using the 'per 100g' values, here's a quick mental checklist. For sugar, anything over 15g per 100g should be treated with caution, essentially as a sweet. For sodium, a crucial factor for blood pressure, try to stay below 600mg per 100g, as the daily recommended limit is around 2000mg. When it comes to fats, look at the saturated fat content; more than 5g per 100g is significant. These numbers aren't absolute rules but provide a quick reference point to gauge whether a product is high in the components you might want to limit. It turns a confusing label into a quick, actionable decision-making tool in the middle of a busy shopping trip.
The Push for Clearer Front-of-Pack Labels
The confusion around serving sizes and complex back-of-pack information has led to a long-standing debate about Front-of-Pack Labelling (FOPL) in India. Health advocates and consumer groups have been pushing for simpler, more intuitive systems, such as warning labels or colour-coded indicators, to show if a product is high in fat, sugar, or salt (HFSS). The FSSAI has been deliberating on a national FOPL system since 2014, with proposals like the Indian Nutrition Rating (INR) system—a version of the Health Star Rating—being discussed. However, progress has been slow due to a lack of consensus between public health groups and industry stakeholders. Recently, a parliamentary panel has urged the FSSAI to expedite the rollout of these regulations, which have been pending for nearly two years, to help consumers make healthier choices more easily.
