Decoding Front-of-Pack Buzzwords
The front of a package is designed to sell, using appealing claims that create a "health halo" effect. For instance, a product might be labelled 'natural', but this term is loosely defined. According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
(FSSAI), a food can only be called natural if it's a single-ingredient product that has undergone minimal processing. However, many brands use it more freely. Similarly, 'multigrain' simply means a product contains more than one type of grain; it doesn't guarantee that those grains are whole grains, which retain their nutrient-rich bran and germ. Often, multigrain products can be made predominantly from refined flour (maida). In recent years, FSSAI has started questioning companies about claims like "100% Natural", "Healthy", and "Zero Maida" to curb misleading practices. The term 'organic' is more reliable, as products must be certified and carry the Jaivik Bharat logo.
The Real Story Is on the Back
The most reliable information is found on the back of the pack in the ingredient list and the nutrition facts panel. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so the first few ingredients make up the bulk of the product. If sugar, maida, or palm oil are listed first, it’s a red flag, even if the front claims the product is healthy. This simple check gives you a far more accurate picture than any marketing slogan. A recent nationwide analysis of over 23,000 products found that a large share of packaged foods in India contain high levels of sugar and salt, with over 80% of biscuits containing artificial flavours and palm oil. This highlights a major gap between marketing perception and nutritional reality.
Uncovering Hidden Sugars and Salt
Sugar is a master of disguise and rarely appears on labels simply as 'sugar'. It hides under many names, including sucrose, dextrose, maltose, corn syrup, liquid glucose, and invert syrup. Brands sometimes use several types of sugar so that no single one is the main ingredient. Savoury items are often major culprits; tomato ketchup can contain 20-25g of sugar per 100g, while packaged namkeens, instant dosa mixes, and even some flavoured yogurts contain significant hidden sugars. Similarly, high sodium content is a concern, with studies showing nearly 80% of extruded snacks and 90% of convenience meals having high sodium levels. For a person with diabetes or hypertension, these hidden ingredients can be particularly dangerous.
Making Sense of the Nutrition Panel
The nutrition facts table provides a detailed breakdown of a product's contents. One of the most common traps is the serving size. A packet of chips might list calories per serving, but if the packet contains three servings and you eat it all, you've consumed triple the listed amount. Always check the serving size and the number of servings per container. The FSSAI mandates that labels display energy (calories), protein, carbohydrates (including total sugars), and fats. To simplify this for consumers, FSSAI has proposed a front-of-pack labelling (FoPL) system called the Indian Nutrition Rating (INR), which will use stars (from ½ to 5) to indicate how healthy a product is. Though the rollout has been delayed, this system aims to provide at-a-glance information to help shoppers make healthier decisions without having to decipher complex tables.
Common 'Healthy' Food Traps
Certain categories of food are notorious for misleading claims. Breakfast cereals and flavoured oats, often marketed as a healthy start to the day, can be laden with added sugars. 'Baked, not fried' snacks might sound healthier, but they can still be high in refined flours and fats. Packaged fruit juices are another example; even those labelled '100% fruit juice' can cause blood sugar spikes because they concentrate natural sugars and lack the fibre of whole fruit. One brand was flagged by FSSAI for claiming its product was a pomegranate juice when it contained only 4% pomegranate juice concentrate. Being sceptical of front-of-pack claims on these products and diligently checking the ingredient list is your best defence.
