Food label consists of necessary information about the total amount of product contained in a packet, its composition and ingredients. It also informs us about the quality, origin, processing and preservation. The information on food labels is intended to help consumers become savvy about their food choices. The front, back, and sides of a package are filled with information as to what the food contains, and also provides guidance in making healthier selections of processed foods.

Why is Food labelling so important?

Food labels provide an insight into the composition of your food. It lets us know the amount of vitamins, minerals, calories, fats, etc. in a standard serving This information is essential in ensuring that you are eating the kinds of food that are good for you.

Understanding the Nutrition Facts label on food items can help you make healthier choices. The label breaks down the amount of calories, carbs, fat, fibre, protein, and vitamins per serving of the food, making it easier to compare the nutrition of similar products.

Food labels will help you monitor your salt and sugar intakes and make sure that you are eating a healthy diet. You can monitor calories, saturated fats and your intake of micronutrients which will help you in avoiding deficiencies like iron and Vitamin D.

Reading food labels can help you understand what you are eating and keep unhealthy food at bay. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are also a major challenge rooted on overweight, obesity and unhealthy diets. NCDs include cardiovascular and chronic respiratory diseases, cancers, and diabetes, etc. There are increasing research evidences suggesting unbalanced/ unhealthy diets and obesity as the major risk factors in the prevalence of NCDs.

How can NCDs be lessened?

Cutting back on salt and sugar are two simple ways to reduce your risk of non-communicable diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer. It is generally advised to limit one’s salt intake to 5 grams or 1 teaspoon per day. World Health Organization (WHO) has also warned against using salty sauces and condiments like soy and fish sauce. More than 50 grams or 12 teaspoons of sugar per day is also not advisable.

• One of the ways to reduce the risk of developing NCDs such as hypertension, stroke and heart disease is to monitor and control intake of fats, specifically that of saturated fats. To achieve this, the WHO has advised to use low-fat milk and dairy products.
• Further, white meats like poultry and fish should be preferred over the consumption of processed meats, such as bacon and sausages.
• The WHO also alerted to avoid processed, baked and fried foods to lessen the chances of NCDs and to stay healthy.
• The WHO also suggests that you consume wholegrains like brown rice and wheat, legumes like lentils and beans, plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and some foods from animal sources like meat, fish, eggs and milk, in your day to day life.
• For snacks, you can choose raw vegetables, fresh fruits and unsalted nuts.

Consumer VOICE, organised  a sensitization workshop on Importance of Food Labeling at Bamanpukur Humayun Kabir Mahavidyala Bamanpukur,West Bengal along with  state partner organisation  Honcho Tech for Good Foundation on the 10^th of September. The workshop aimed at creating awareness among students community (also consumers) regarding importance of food labelling ,their right to choose healthy food products , to discuss about impact of non-communicable diseases.

An exhaustive presentation on NCDs (non-communicable diseases) was shown to the participants where they were briefed on the harmful effects of salt, sugar and fats. Unhealthy packaged foods are risking the lives of many Indians as more and more people are falling prey to High BP, diabetes or obesity. Consumption of packaged foods is on the rise in India, and therefore reading labels is very crucial so that consumers can make an informed choice.

Consumer VOICE, organised  a sensitization workshop on Importance of Food Labeling at Bamanpukur Humayun Kabir Mahavidyala Bamanpukur,West Bengal along with  state partner organisation  Honcho Tech for Good Foundation on the 10^th of September. The workshop aimed at creating awareness among students community (also consumers) regarding importance of food labelling ,their right to choose healthy food products , to discuss about impact of non-communicable diseases.

An exhaustive presentation on NCDs (non-communicable diseases) was shown to the participants where they were briefed on the harmful effects of salt, sugar and fats. Unhealthy packaged foods are risking the lives of many Indians as more and more people are falling prey to High BP, diabetes or obesity. Consumption of packaged foods is on the rise in India, and therefore reading labels is very crucial so that consumers can make an informed choice.

The workshop was followed with a question-answer session where students asked some interesting questions like will it help them to reduce weight or will it help them to avoid some non-communicable diseases as they grow up. IEC materials were also distributed among the students.

We witnessed active participation and enthusiasm among all participants in the workshop. More than 80 people  including students, teachers and staff joined the workshop.