Meera and her mother were shopping. She requested her favourite soft drink and snacks. Her mother, however, suggested that she eat something wholesome. Meera didn’t waver. She said, “Soda and chips are also nutritious. They are really good and amazing.” Her mother decided to adopt a new strategy.

Let’s examine the chips package and your preferred soft drink together, Meera, she said. Whether they are healthy for you or not may be determined. When Meera studied the food label, she was shocked to learn that the chips had almost little nutritional value and the soft drink was heavy in sugar. “I will stick to nutritious eating from now on,” she promised her mum.

This is a case in many households. The things that you find tasty and addictive are not always good for you. You always want to choose the best for your family and yourself. How can you avoid being duped by advertisements and choose healthy options? Simply select the item, turn it over, and read the food label.

During the festival season, people in India often veer from their normal eating patterns and indulge in binge-eating and unhealthy foods that aren’t usually a part of their regular diet. While treating yourself once in a while is acceptable, one must also learn to intentionally avoid items that are bad for their health and can cause long-term problems.

The Need to Read Food Labels 

We shall all indulge in sweets and gift-exchanging as the festive season continues and Diwali draws closer. But we also need to be aware of our health. We double-check the packaging and expiration date on every packaged food item we buy. But we also need to look at the expiration dates of sweets. Traditionally produced milk-based sweets like gulab jamun, rasgulla, and rasmalai, among others, are frequently created using khoya, chhena, sugar, as well as extra ingredients including maida, flavours, and colours. Sweets have a shorter shelf life and are more prone to microbial growth, especially those that contain dairy products. So it is crucial to prepare them with cleanliness and hygiene and to consume them before their shelf life expires.

1. Select a milk-based dessert like kheer, mishit doi, shrikhand, or sandesh. These treats are simple to make at home with any changes we choose and milk is a superb supply of first-rate protein.
2. Fresh fruits, dried fruits like dates and raisins, and natural flavourings like cinnamon and nutmeg can all be used in place of sugar.
3. Choose a healthy dessert from the available options.
4. Experiment with something novel and outlandish that includes a useful food. A few examples include dates sesame ladoo, oats dates nut ladoo, walnut ladoo, methi kheer, dudhi kheer, apple sheera, fruit kheer, papaya halwa, beetroot halwa, carrot kalakand, oats pancakes with cranberry syrup, blueberry syrup, or chocolate syrup, homemade protein bars, apple pie, pumpkin pie, fruit yoghurt.

The burden of NCDs: What can you do?

India has been suffering from the catastrophic effects of an unhealthy diet, with 135 million people being obese and the number of fatalities from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) rising. Packaged junk food is responsible for more deaths worldwide, and it is also a major contributor to obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer.

WHO advised healthy populations to reduce their intake of saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sugar, sodium, and total calories while providing adequate intakes of carbohydrates, protein, and dietary fibre in order to prevent diet-related NCDs.

Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables will ensure that you are getting enough potassium, most micronutrients, dietary fibre, and a wide range of important non-nutrient compounds. Fruits and vegetables can take the place of diets that are heavy in saturated fats, sugar, or salt.

In order to encourage healthy lifestyles, front-of-package warning labelling is essential because it enables customers to quickly, clearly, and efficiently identify items that are high in nutrients of concern linked to NCDs.

References

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35150963/
• https://www.fssai.gov.in/upload/media/FSSAI_News_Labelling_Outlook_24_03_2021.pdf
• https://www.mfine.co/article/why-you-should-always-read-food-labels-before-buying-them
• https://www.gqindia.com/get-smart/content/how-to-read-a-food-nutrition-label-correctly
• https://eatrightindia.gov.in/how-to-read-label.jsp
• https://www.indiafilings.com/learn/food-labelling-regulations-in-india/
• https://www.nhp.gov.in/healthlyliving/ncd2019

In collaboration with Consumer VOICE, New Delhi, a sensitization workshop on food labeling was organized on 1st October, 2022 by NCHSE, Bhopal at Arera hills Participants included women from all walks of life including house wives, professionals and students joined the workshop.

They were briefed on the harmful critical nutrients of salt, sugar and fats in packaged foods and how non-communicable diseases are a result of high intake of some of these nutrients.

It is therefore important to read food labels carefully to help make the right choice. They were sensitized on how to read food labels correctly and how one should be careful while buying packaged foods. The food labels help one to identify foods which are high in calories, salt, sugar and fats. Dr Pradip Nandi of NCHSE also discussed the need for Front of Pack Warning Labels.

The need for Front of Pack Warning Labels and possible types were also discussed through a presentation by Dr. Pradip Nandi.

Experts told the audience how food labels are helpful to monitor salt and sugar intakes and to make healthier choices through eating a healthy diet. Consumers can also monitor calories, saturated fats and intake of micronutrients which are helpful in avoiding deficiencies like iron and Vitamin D.

More than 50 women participated in the program which highlighted the importance of food labels. A short practical session was also conducted to help the participants read and understand food labels.

The workshop was followed with a question-answer session in which various queries were addressed by experts.

We witnessed active participation and enthusiasm among all participants in the workshop.

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.