Posts

Millets vs Rice

Image
Millets generally offer superior nutritional value per rupee compared to market-sold (mostly polished white) rice in India , especially for protein, fiber, iron, calcium, and lower glycemic impact.  Grain Calories Protein (g) Fiber (g) Iron (mg) Calcium (mg) GI Ragi (Finger Millet) 328 7.3 3.6 3.9 344 54–68 Foxtail Millet (Navane) 351 12.3 8.0 2.8 31 50–60 Jowar (Sorghum) 349 10.4 2.7 4.1 25 62–70 Bajra (Pearl Millet) 361 11.0 1.2 8.0 42 55–65 Little Millet (Saame) 341 7.7 7.6 9.3 17 ~52 Barnyard Millet (Oodalu) 307 6.2 12.6 15.2 20 ~50 Kodo Millet (Varagu) 309 ...

Timeline of Front‑Of‑Pack Labelling in India

Image
Front-of-Pack Labelling (FOPL) is a public health initiative aimed at making nutritional information easier for consumers to understand. Chile introduced mandatory front‑of‑pack warning labels in 2016, becoming the first country worldwide to require clear black octagonal signs stating “High in sugar,” “High in sodium,” “High in saturated fat,” or “High in calories.”  Shoppers quickly learned to avoid products with multiple warning labels. Chile's food industry responded by reformulating products to reduce sugar, salt, and fat to avoid labels.  The policy has significantly reduced purchases of unhealthy foods and inspired similar regulations in Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, and Brazil. WHO praised Chile’s system as the most effective globally. In India, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has been working on front-of-pack nutrition labels (FOPL) for over a decade. Here’s the timeline based on the latest information: 2014: FSSAI first framed guidelines for FOPL,...

Nestlé India Brand Profile: The Company Behind Maggi, KitKat and More

Image
Nestlé is the world’s largest food and beverage company selling more than 2000 brands in 191 countries around the world. India contributes ‌roughly 2% ⁠to the Swiss behemoth's annual sales. Its Indian unit trades at 68 times its future earnings, higher than 43 times for Hindustan Unilever and reaches nine out of 10 Indian households.  Maggi and KitKat are big revenue generators for Nestlé in India.   Images:  Open Food Facts India is the largest market for KitKat globally. A list of Nestlé brands (those sold in India are highlighted) - Beverages General Bear Brand Sterilized Carnation Caro (sold in the US as Pero) Chuckie (Philippines) Cocoa D'Onofrio (Peru) Dancow (Indonesia) Enviga (joint-venture with Coca-Cola, Beverage Partners Worldwide) Libby's Milo Nescau (Brazil) Nesquik Nestea (joint-venture with Coca-Cola, Beverage Partners Worldwide) Ovaltine (U.S. only) Ricaca...

Front of Pack vs Ingredient List: McVitie's Coconut Cookies

Image
McVitie's Coconut Cookies sounded like a tropical escape. The ingredient list, however, reveals that the coconut seems to have missed the flight. 😄 With just 1.8% desiccated coconut powder , and the coconut experience leaning on nature identical and artificial flavouring substances, the cookie feels more "coconut-inspired" than truly coconut. Some older labels show the coconut content was 2.4% in the recent past. A little more real coconut and a little less help from the flavour lab could make these cookies live up to their delicious name. Here's hoping a future recipe lets the coconut do more of the talking!

How Much Cardamom Is in Elaichi Rusks? A Label-Based Analysis

Image
Walk down the rusk aisle in any supermarket and you'll be greeted with cheerful promises of "Real Elaichi".  Pictures of green cardamom pods, comforting cups of chai, and words like Premium and Authentic practically guarantee a fragrant tea-time experience. Then comes the ingredient list. It turns out that in several products, the real elaichi is indeed present... just perhaps not quite as prominently as the front of the pack might lead one to imagine. Before going any further, an important disclaimer: The ingredient data below comes from product labels available on Open Food Facts, a community-maintained food database & Amazon India. Manufacturers may reformulate products over time, so the current product in the market may differ from the information presented here. Always refer to the label on the pack you purchase. How much "real elaichi" is actually there? Based on the ingredient declarations: Product Declared cardamom content Tata Soulfull Rusk Elaich...