How to Read Snack Labels? : 7 Red Flags to Avoid in Packaged Foods

Introduction

Right from tiffin boxes to late night OTT sessions, packaged snacks have found a place in most Indian households. There has been an increase in sales of healthy snacks but at the same time there are many unhealthy snacks on supermarket shelves that might unknowingly pack in excessive calories, sugar, salt and bad fats than your body requires.

This is the reason why understanding how to read snack labels cannot be limited only to nutrition enthusiasts anymore. It is a basic skill that enables you to keep your family healthy over a period of time while continuing to enjoy the benefits of packaged snacks. 

Armed with these skills, you will be able to identify the unhealthy snack easily and pick healthier alternatives like roasted makhana, baked millet chips and seed mixes without getting confused.

In this guide, you will learn about the basics of snack labeling and seven important red flags.

Snack label basics What to look at first?

It will be easier to know some of the elements before we can discuss the warning signals on a snack packet.

The first thing you need to look at when buying a snack packet is the ingredient list, since they are ordered in decreasing weight. This means that the first couple of ingredients listed have the most amount in the snack irrespective of the claim made on its cover page.

The nutritional value in India has to show the energy value, proteins, carbohydrate and sugar, fat and even sodium content per 100 g or per serving. According to health officials, there should be emphasis on calories, saturated fat, added sugar and sodium, since these are the nutrients we usually get an extra amount of.

Red flag that signals that snack is not healthy:

1. Sugar in the top three ingredients and multiple hidden sugar names

When sugar shows up in the first three ingredients, it means the item is basically a dessert masquerading as a snack food. As nutritionists emphasize, the ingredients always start with the biggest numbers, which mean that when sugar shows up near the top, then it is almost entirely made up of added sugars.

The problem is that sugar may not be labeled as "sugar" on the packaging. The manufacturers will use several types like glucose, fructose, corn syrup, maltose, dextrose, jaggery syrup or honey so that consumers do not pay attention to the number of sugars that have been added to the product. If two or three types of sweetener pop up in the list, it means the total amount of sugar is high.

A basic guideline is that less than 5 g of total sugars per 100 g is a low level, while above 15 g of sugar per 100 g is a high level in many general guidelines. As for snacks in daily life, choose products that contain moderate amounts of sugars and get their taste from natural sources. For instance, a combination of nuts and seeds gets its taste from natural components.

2. Unhealthy oils and high saturated fat or trans fat

The type and quantity of fat in the snack will affect the health of your heart, weight, and inflammation. Most traditional chips and namkeens use refined palm oil and some other refined vegetable oils that have been heated time and again, and thus the presence of some unwanted substances may be possible due to that, along with high quantities of saturated fats.

In the nutritional table, the quantity of total fat, saturated fat, and also trans-fat per 100 grams should be noted. According to health experts, saturated fats should be consumed in small amounts while trans fats should not be consumed as much as possible since both of them are associated with heart disease and high cholesterol levels.

The better way would be to search for those snacks which are either baked or roasted with minimum use of oils and are labeled with “no trans fats” and “no palm oil”. As an example, the light and crispy chips of Healthy Master are made through baking and roasting process, using a minimum amount of oil as opposed to fried chips with the inclusion of whole grains and vegetables.

3. Very high sodium per 100 g

However, salt is also the easiest way to add to the addictive nature of snacks; at the same time, it is also one of the quickest ways to damage your blood pressure, heart, and kidney. Packaged snacks, soups, and savory biscuits are some examples of commonly found sources of sodium.

Food advice documents have identified all those foods that contain more than 1.5 g of salt (about 600 mg of sodium) as "high" food and advise people to avoid them. Some commonly available chips, instant noodles, and namkeen easily exceed this range. 

The moment you think of actual quantity eaten by individuals, this becomes an even easier feat. When the label shows more than 1.5 g of salt in 100 g, or high quantities of sodium and flavor enhancers, it should raise a red flag in your mind.

4. Lots of calories with almost no fibre or protein

Calories alone aren’t the evil culprit here. The issue comes from consuming food containing lots of calories from refined starch and oil with virtually no fiber and protein to match it up with. Foods like that can be called “empty calorie” foods because they provide energy without any nutritional benefits. Such foods cause rapid spikes in blood glucose, don’t help you feel satiated and contribute greatly to overeating.

When you’re going through the ingredient list, look at the numbers of fiber and protein content for 100g or per serve. When the savory snack contains plenty of calories but only around 2 grams of fiber and lacks any protein at all, it won’t contribute much to your feeling of satiety or well-being. Snacks based on wholegrains, millet, nuts and seeds automatically contain more of fiber and protein.

5. Long chemical sounding ingredient lists and additives

Not all additives are bad. There are some that include certain antioxidants and acidity regulators used in controlled amounts. But if there is a snack with a long list of ingredients that include numbers and chemicals, then it can mean that it has gone through extensive processing and many layers of flavoring and coloring, which goes against a simple and less processed diet.

Look out for the recurring preservatives, artificial colors, and flavor enhancers such as MSG or artificial flavoring substances. The regulations make sure that the type of additives is disclosed, but it is up to the consumer to decide if they are willing to consume it often.

6. Misleading front of pack claims that do not match the numbers

Front-of-pack claims are meant to grab your attention in an instant among other products on a shelf. “Multigrain,” “baked,” “lite,” “no added sugar,” “natural,” and “made with real fruit” are just some examples of such claims that sound very impressive until you verify them with the nutritional facts behind the product.

7. Unrealistic serving sizes and confusing daily values

The other trick used in some labels is the indication of small serving sizes so that the calories, sugar, and fats appear low. For example, a package which most people consume all at once would have the nutrition facts listed “per 20 g serving” although the total amount contained in the pack is 50g or 60g. While it may appear safe from the numbers perspective, the truth is you are taking 2 or 3 servings at once.

Also, some of the percent daily values are based on the reference diet that may be different from yours. Instead of getting confused by the percentages, it would be easier to compare the nutrients per 100g.

How to use labels to pick better snacks for your family?

As soon as you know these danger signals, labeling becomes an extremely effective decision-making tool for you. Below is how to utilize this method in your day-to-day life.

Suppose you have two products in front of you – fried chips bag and baked millet chips bag. For instance, on the label of the fried chips, you will find refined potato, palm oil, and seasoning in the first three components, a lot of total fat, saturated fat, and high sodium content per 100g. In addition, there will be few fibers and proteins and a number of additives.

Key takeaways and smarter snacking with Healthy Master

Reading labels on snacks is neither about being perfect nor scared; it’s all about being aware.

Once you learn how to read the ingredient and nutrition labels, you will find it extremely easy to identify seven common warning signs that something’s not quite right on the snack: sugar among the first few ingredients, unhealthy oil and high saturated fat content, high sodium content, empty calories without much fibre or protein content, long list of chemical ingredients, false claims in front labels and unrealistic serving sizes.

With this information at hand, your shopping cart will automatically start filling up with healthier snacks that include roasted makhana, baked millet chips and seed-based snacks. Brands like Healthy Master who are focused on using whole ingredients, baking and roasting, and clean labeling make this transition a lot easier for you.

FAQ:

1. Why should I read snack labels?

By checking the labels, one will be able to identify the sugar, fat, salt and additive content of any particular product and be able to exclude the options that can silently affect his/her heart, weight and blood sugar levels.

2. What should I look for first on the label of a snack?

Ingredients list and nutrition table per 100 g should be looked at in the very beginning because these two parts show what kind of a snack the product is and how much sugar, fat and salt it contains.

3. How do I know which snacks are high in sugar?

Any product where sugar is one of the first three ingredients or where total sugar content exceeds 15 g per 100 g is considered to be a high-sugar snack.

4. Which kinds of fats should I avoid when it comes to packaged snacks?

It is advisable to choose snacks that are low in saturated fat and to avoid snacks containing trans fats altogether because they have an effect on cholesterol levels and heart health.