The 'Per Serving' Trap
The first number most people see on a nutrition label is often the most misleading. The 'calories per serving' figure can make a product appear far healthier than it is. Manufacturers often define a 'serving' as an unrealistically small amount. For instance,
a popular packet of biscuits might list a serving as just two or three biscuits. A small bottle of a soft drink or juice can contain two or more servings. If you consume the entire pack, which many people do in a single sitting, you could be consuming double or triple the advertised calories, sugar, and fat. This discrepancy is why the 'per serving' information, while mandated, can be a confusing starting point for any health-conscious consumer.
Your Most Powerful Tool: The 'Per 100g' Column
Fortunately, there is a simple way to cut through the confusion. Regulations from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) mandate that all packaged foods must also display nutritional information 'per 100g' or 'per 100ml'. This is the great equaliser. It provides a standardised baseline that allows you to compare any two similar products fairly, regardless of the manufacturer's chosen serving size. A brand might claim its cereal is low in sugar per serving, but the 'per 100g' column will reveal its true sugar content relative to a competitor's product, allowing for an honest, apples-to-apples comparison.
A Practical Plan for Your Next Shopping Trip
To put this into practice, follow a simple three-step plan. First, when you pick up two different brands of namkeen, biscuits, or any other packaged item, ignore the front-of-pack claims and the 'per serving' data. Second, turn directly to the nutrition table on the back and find the 'per 100g' column for both products. Third, compare the key numbers side-by-side: calories, total sugar, added sugar, sodium, and saturated fat. This method removes all the marketing spin and portion-size tricks. You are now comparing the true nutritional makeup of the products on equal terms.
Look Beyond Just the Calories
While calories are important, they don't tell the whole story. Use the 'per 100g' comparison method to evaluate other critical nutrients. A product might be low in calories but extremely high in sodium (salt) or added sugar. Health experts suggest that a food with more than 15g of sugar per 100g should be considered a high-sugar item, while anything over 600mg of sodium per 100g is high in salt. By focusing on the 'per 100g' values for these nutrients, you can get a much clearer picture of what you are actually consuming. This allows you to choose products that are genuinely lower in sugar and salt, contributing to better long-term health.
What About Total Pack Size?
After you've used the 'per 100g' metric to decide which product is the healthier option, the final step is to consider the total quantity. Check the net weight of the packet. If you know that a packet of chips has 20g of fat per 100g, and the packet you are holding is 200g, you can quickly calculate that finishing the bag means consuming 40g of fat. This final check helps you practice portion control and understand the total nutritional impact of your purchase, moving you from just being a smart shopper to also being a mindful eater.
