How to Read Food Labels in India (Without Being Fooled)
The front of the pack lies. The back never does. Learn to read the fine print and half of your grocery decisions become easier.
Five red flags to look for
Sugar in the top three ingredients (ingredients are listed by weight); hidden sugar names like maltodextrin, dextrose, corn syrup, invert syrup, brown rice syrup and fructose; palm oil in the fats; sodium above 500 mg per serving; and unrealistically tiny serving sizes that mask the real numbers. Almost every biscuit and packaged snack in India fails on at least three of these.
Green flags on good products
Whole food ingredients you can pronounce; protein above 10 grams per serving; fibre above 3 grams per serving; low added sugar (under 5 grams per serving); short ingredient lists of 5 to 7 items; and no seed oils high on the list. A short, familiar ingredient list is almost always better than a long one full of chemistry names.
The serving size trick
A brand may list nutrition per 30 grams when a realistic portion is 60 or 100 grams. Always look at total sugar and sodium per realistic serving. If the front of the pack says "20 percent less sugar", ask 20 percent less than what — the original may have been 40 percent sugar to begin with.
Marketing terms that mean nothing
"Natural", "farm fresh", "handcrafted", "artisanal", "made with real fruit" — none of these are regulated on Indian packaging. "Multigrain" often just means two grains added on top of maida. "Whole wheat" biscuits often contain more refined flour than whole wheat. Always flip the pack over and read the ingredients list.
Frequently asked
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