How to read a food label in India
Most packets are designed to be read from the front. Ba reads the back. Here is the 30-second method our students use in shops, canteens and kitchens, using only what Indian packaging law already requires on the pack.
The 30-second method
- 1Flip the pack over
Ignore the front. Every honest number lives on the back or side panel: the ingredient list, the nutrition table, the FSSAI licence number and the date markings.
- 2Read the first three ingredients
Ingredients are ordered by weight. If refined flour, sugar or palm oil sit in the top three, the product is mostly those three things, whatever the front says.
- 3Check the serving size
A 70 g pack of chips may report values per 30 g. Multiply the numbers by the servings you will actually eat before comparing anything.
- 4Look at sugar, sodium and fat per 100 g
Per 100 g is the only fair way to compare two brands. Sugar and sodium are where most packaged foods quietly stack up.
- 5Count the additives
Emulsifiers, stabilisers, flavour enhancers and colours appear as INS numbers. A long additive list is a signal that the food is ultra-processed, not home-style.
- 6Check FSSAI licence and dates
A valid 14-digit FSSAI licence number, a 'best before' or 'use by' date and the veg or non-veg mark are legally required. Missing any of them is a red flag.
A worked example
Two biscuit packs, same shelf. Compared per 100 g instead of per serving, the difference is easy to see.
| Per 100 g | Cream-filled biscuit | Plain wholewheat biscuit |
|---|---|---|
| First ingredient | Refined wheat flour | Wholewheat flour |
| Sugar names on the list | Sugar, invert syrup, liquid glucose | Sugar |
| Additives (INS numbers) | Six or more | One or two |
| Ba’s verdict | Treat food | Everyday food |
Illustrative comparison. Always read the actual pack in your hand, since recipes change.
Sugar goes by many names
If three of these appear in one ingredient list, the product is sweeter than it looks.
- Sugar
- Invert sugar
- Glucose syrup
- Liquid glucose
- Maltodextrin
- Dextrose
- Fructose
- Corn syrup solids
- Fruit juice concentrate
- Honey
- Jaggery syrup
- Molasses
Questions people ask
What should I read first on a food label?
Read the ingredient list before the nutrition table. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so the first three tell you what the product mostly is.
Why do the numbers look low on the pack?
Nutrition panels are often shown per serving, and the serving can be much smaller than what people actually eat. Check the serving size and how many servings the pack contains, then multiply.
How do I spot hidden sugar?
Sugar appears under many names: glucose syrup, invert sugar, maltodextrin, dextrose, fruit juice concentrate, honey, jaggery syrup and corn syrup solids. Several of them together can add up to more than the first ingredient.
What do the green and brown dots mean?
In India, a green dot marks a vegetarian product and a brown or maroon dot marks a non-vegetarian product, under FSSAI packaging and labelling rules.
Is a food with a health claim on the front healthier?
Not necessarily. Front-of-pack claims like 'made with real fruit' or 'high in protein' are marketing. The ingredient list and the nutrition panel are the parts that must be accurate.
Three questions, no signup. Then go deeper with the ultra-processed foods guide.
Labelling requirements referenced from FSSAI packaging and labelling regulations; dietary framing follows ICMR-NIN dietary guidelines for Indians and WHO guidance on free sugars and sodium.