The supermarket is a wonderland of ostensibly healthy labels: from low-fat blueberry yoghurt to Keto cookies.
However, if you are buying food based only on alluring packaging, it is likely you are unaware of just how much sugar, saturated fat and additives you consume everyday. “Most of us, when we go to the supermarket, go by claims on the label. When you flip the package over, the amount of information is daunting,” says Rahul Gopal, sports nutritionist and co-founder of lifestyle clinic The Formula, Alwarpet. At a nutrition label reading workshop recently, Rahul showed just how to decode these labels, step by step, and thus “empower” consumers.
He began by explaining how every item on the nutrition list is pegged on the serving size of each product. Since the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has not standardised the nutrition panel, “your nutrition facts are normally labelled according to the serving size the manufacturer thinks is appropriate for you”.
He adds, “So, if you’re going to eat two cups of something, the values have to be doubled. But nobody measures cereal before pouring it into a bowl. So, without realising, you might be eating four servings.”
Next he sugggests consumers note the number of calories per serving, as everyone has a certain energy need for the day based on weight, height, activity levels, metabolic efficient and hormonal status. Next, move down the list — fat, carbohydrates and protein: the three main macronutrients. “Fat is 2.25 times as calorific as carbohydrates and proteins. If you eat 10gm of carbohydrates, that is 40 calories. And 10gm of fat is 90 calories,” he says.
- Avoid hydrogenated oil, sugar to the greater extent. Trans-fat, found in baked, fried, commercially prepared foods, is a strict no-no.
- If the label claims ‘low fat’, you want the per serving size fat to be less than 3g.
- Minimise saturated fat and gain fat from multiple other sources like nuts, seeds, olive oil.
- In case you have completely cut down on processed food, you need about 5g to 9g of sodium in your diet. This is why added salt is beneficial. If you’re more active you need more salt.
- It’s actual high protein when there is at least 10 to 20g of protein per serving.
- Avoid maltitol, a substitute for sugar found in sugar-free products. It causes gastric discomfort. Instead use sucralose or stevia.
- The longer a packaged food product lasts, the worse it is for you.
- — Rahul Gopal,
- co-founder, The Formula
He strongly advises consumers to eat natural, whole foods like grains, legumes, pulses, fruits, vegetables, as well as lean meat. But for packaged products, the longer the ingredient list, the more cautious you need to be.
