Start with the Ingredients, Not the Claims
The front of the pack is marketing; the back is regulation. The most crucial FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) rule you need to know is that ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. This means the first three ingredients make
up the bulk of what you're eating. If a 'multigrain' biscuit lists 'refined wheat flour (maida)', 'sugar', and 'palm oil' first, that's what it is mostly made of, even if millets are mentioned further down the list. A truly healthier product will have ingredients like whole grains, nuts, or seeds at the top of its list.
Beware the Serving Size Trick
This is one of the most common traps for consumers. Every packaged food in India must declare nutrition information per 100g/ml and often 'per serving'. The catch is that manufacturers define the 'serving size' themselves, and it can be unrealistically small. A packet of biscuits might list calories for a serving of just two biscuits, but most people eat more. To compare products accurately, always use the 'per 100g' column. This gives you a standard measure to judge which product is genuinely lower in sugar or fat.
Scan for Sugar in All Its Forms
Sugar is rarely just called 'sugar' on a label. It has many aliases to watch out for, including glucose syrup, fructose, corn syrup, dextrose, maltodextrin, and even fruit juice concentrate. A common tactic is to use several different types of sugar in smaller quantities so that none of them appear as the first ingredient. When you see two or three of these names scattered in the ingredient list, mentally add them together to understand the product's true sugar load. Pay attention to the 'Added Sugars' line in the nutrition table, as this separates the sugars added during processing from those naturally present in milk or fruit.
Focus on Key Nutrients: The Good and The Bad
Instead of getting overwhelmed by every number, focus on a few key metrics. Generally, you want to limit saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. Look for the % Daily Value (%DV) where available. As a quick guide, 5% DV or less of a nutrient per serving is considered low, while 20% DV or more is high. Use this rule to aim for lower percentages of fats and sodium. Conversely, look for higher %DV for beneficial nutrients like dietary fibre, protein, vitamins, and minerals like calcium and iron. This helps you quickly assess if a food is contributing positively to your diet.
Check for More Than Just Nutrition
A complete food label in India offers other vital information. Always check for the FSSAI logo and 14-digit license number, which confirms the manufacturer is registered with the food authority. The manufacturing and 'best before' dates are crucial for freshness and safety. You will also find mandatory symbols indicating whether a product is vegetarian (green dot) or non-vegetarian (brown dot), and declarations for common allergens like nuts, milk, and soy. These details, while small, are important indicators of a product's safety and transparency.
