Start with the Ingredients, Not the Slogans
The single most important part of any food label is the ingredients list. In India, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) mandates that ingredients be listed in descending order by weight. This means the first two or three ingredients are
what the product is mostly made of. If you see sugar, refined flour (maida), or palm oil at the top of the list for a product marketed as healthy, it's a red flag. This simple check tells you more than any claim on the front of the box. Be wary of products that split sugars into multiple names to hide how much is really inside; seeing two or three different types of sugar is a common trick to keep it from being the first ingredient.
The Many Names for Hidden Sugar
Food companies have over 60 different names for sugar, making it easy to hide in plain sight. When scanning an ingredients list, look for words ending in "-ose" like sucrose, fructose, dextrose, and maltose. Also, watch out for various syrups (corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup), fruit juice concentrates, molasses, and even seemingly healthy options like honey and agave nectar, all of which are forms of added sugar. If these names appear in the first few ingredients, the product is likely high in sugar, regardless of what the front of the package claims.
Decode the Nutrition Facts Panel
The nutrition panel provides the hard numbers. FSSAI rules require labels to show values per 100g/ml and per serving for energy (calories), protein, carbohydrates (including total and added sugars), fat (including saturated and trans fat), and sodium. The 'per 100g' column is your best tool for comparing two different products fairly. Pay close attention to 'added sugars'—this is sugar that isn't naturally occurring in the ingredients. Also, check for trans fat; ideally, this number should be zero. The recent push for Front-of-Pack Labelling (FOPL) in India, including proposed red warning labels for foods high in sugar, salt, and fat, aims to make this information even more visible.
Serving Size: The Oldest Trick in the Book
Manufacturers often use unrealistically small serving sizes to make the calorie, sugar, and fat counts look lower. A packet of biscuits might list nutritional information for just two biscuits, or a juice box might show values for 100ml when the container is 200ml. Always check the serving size at the top of the nutrition panel and multiply the values by how many servings you realistically plan to consume. This will give you a much more accurate picture of what you're actually eating.
Beware of Misleading Buzzwords
Marketing terms on the front of a package can be very persuasive but often mean little. The word "Natural," for instance, has no strict regulatory definition in many contexts and can be used on products high in sugar or fat. Similarly, "Multigrain" simply means a product contains more than one type of grain; it doesn't guarantee they are whole grains. A product can be multigrain but still primarily made of refined flour (maida). Look for the term "Whole Wheat" or "Whole Grain" as the first ingredient to ensure you're getting the benefits of the entire grain. FSSAI has been cracking down on misleading claims like "100% Pure" or "Healthy," forcing companies to be more truthful.
Don't Forget the Basics
Beyond nutrition, a food label holds other vital information. Always check the 'Date of Manufacture' and the 'Best Before' or 'Expiry Date' to ensure product freshness and safety. Every legitimate food product in India must also have an FSSAI logo and a 14-digit license number, which confirms the manufacturer is registered and compliant with food safety standards. Allergen information, such as the presence of milk, nuts, soy, or wheat, is also required and is often listed in bold near the ingredients.
