In an era when supermarket shelves are packed with products boasting claims like “healthy,” “natural,” “low-fat,” and “high-protein,” consumers can be easily influenced by attractive packaging. However, according to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the real story lies on the back of the pack.
Recently, FSSAI urged consumers to adopt a simple habit: “Flip the pack” before buying packaged foods. The food regulator emphasized that while packaging may catch your eye, the information on the label can help you make safer, healthier food choices. According to experts, understanding food labels is one of the most effective ways to avoid hidden sugars, unhealthy fats, excess sodium, and misleading marketing claims.
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Why does reading food labels matter?
Food labels provide essential information about a product’s ingredients, nutritional value, allergens, storage requirements, and safety certifications. Spending just a few seconds reading the label can help consumers make informed decisions that support better health and reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
FSSAI’s 5-Step Food Label Checklist
FSSAI recommends checking five key details before buying any packaged food
- Ingredients list
- Nutrition facts panel
- Expiry or use-by date
- Allergen declaration
- FSSAI licence or registration number
See the ingredients list
Ingredients are always listed in descending order by weight, meaning the first few ingredients make up the majority of the product. If sugar, glucose syrup, refined flour (maida), palm oil, or hydrogenated fats appear near the top of the list, the product may not be as healthy as advertised. Consumers should also watch for hidden sugars listed under different names, including malt extract, fructose, dextrose, corn syrup, and jaggery powder.
Read the nutrition facts panel
Many shoppers focus only on calorie counts, but experts recommend looking at the complete nutritional profile. The nutrition facts panel provides information about calories, carbohydrates, protein, fibre, fats, sugar, and sodium content. A common mistake is ignoring the serving size.
A packet may appear low in calories, but if it contains multiple servings, the actual calorie, sugar, or salt intake could be much higher than expected. Foods rich in protein and fibre, while being lower in added sugar and sodium, are generally healthier options.
Never ignore expiry dates
Checking the manufacturing date, use-by date, and storage instructions is essential, especially for dairy products, snacks, beverages, and ready-to-eat foods. Improper storage can compromise food quality and safety even before the expiry date is reached. Products stored incorrectly may lose nutritional value or become unsafe for consumption.
Common food label mistakes consumers make
Experts say many people are misled by terms such as “natural,” “herbal,” “organic,” or “Ayurvedic.” These labels do not automatically mean a product is free from excess sugar, sodium, preservatives, or artificial ingredients.
Another commonly overlooked section is the allergen declaration. People with allergies to nuts, soy, milk, wheat, or gluten should always review allergen information before purchasing packaged foods.
A healthy diet starts with informed choices. By following FSSAI’s “flip the pack” rule, consumers can look beyond marketing claims and better understand what they are putting into their bodies. Reading food labels carefully can help reduce consumption of hidden sugars, unhealthy fats, and excess sodium while supporting long-term health and disease prevention.