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Showing posts from December, 2024

What's Inside Slurrp Farm's Choco Crunch? A Sweet Surprise! 🤔

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Source: OpenFoodFacts.org In bold, bright red letters that scream for attention, Slurrp Farm's Choco Crunch packs a punch with its front-of-package declaration: ' NO MAIDA OR REFINED SUGAR '! Aimed at kids, this product proudly announces it's 'made by two mothers'!  But hold on, in smaller print, you'll spot raw unrefined sugar (23%) tucked away in the ingredients list.  Talk about a sweet surprise!  🤔

Moo-ve Over Dairy, Say Hello to Plant-Based Milks

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If you are seeking alternatives to cow or buffalo milk for any reason—whether it be ethics, allergies, or a preference for the exotic - explore the wonderful world of plant-based milks! Image: OpenFoodFacts.org Almond milk  is the low-protein, low-carb option, perfect if you're watching your weight or just want a light, nutty flavour. But be warned, it's not the nutritional powerhouse of the group.  O at milk i s the darling of the plant-based world. Full of those  good-for-you beta-glucans  (a fancy word for fibre), it's got a creamy texture that makes it a winner in lattes and smoothies. Just watch the carbs!  S oy milk is  the OG plant-based milk. It's been around for ages and packs a protein punch that rivals dairy. Plus, it's a good source of potassium, which is great for your muscles. People used to think soy milk was bad because it mimics oestrogen, but turns out those fears were unfounded! Soy milk is safe and healthy. Coconut milk  deser...

The Salty Truth: A Deep Dive into Pickled Delights 🧂

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The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends limiting daily sodium intake to 5 grams, which is about 2 grams of salt. Plant-based pickles are popular in India, but those watching their salt intake should be cautious due to the high sodium content. Image - OpenFoodFacts.org While some brands don't list sodium content on their labels, others recommend small serving sizes, typically ranging from 5 to 30 grams, to address health concerns. Here's a look at the sodium content in popular pickle brands: The sodium content in the chart could have been displayed by serving size, as it is unlikely that anyone consumes 100 grams of pickles in one sitting. Due to the absence of a standard serving size and the fact that nutrition labels indicate sodium per 100 grams, I had to present it accordingly as the focus was on showing the high salt content. The data is collected from Open Food Facts, Amazon.in, and the respective brand websites - Priya Lime Pickle Tops Gold Lime Pickle ...

Veganism in India

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Veganism is growing in popularity in India.  Vegan food refers to food or food ingredients, including additives, flavorings, enzymes, carriers, and processing aids, that do not originate from animals and which, at no stage of production or processing, any ingredients of animal origin have been utilized. Charukesi Ramadurai highlights in the BBC article " Are Jains the original vegans? " that while the term "vegan" was introduced nearly 80 years ago by British animal rights advocate Donald Watson, veganism and initiatives like Veganuary have only recently gained significant popularity. However, the practice of avoiding meat as an act of kindness towards animals has been deeply rooted in many Eastern cultures for over two millennia. The Indian vegan food market was valued at $1,372.3m in 2022 and is expected to grow further. This could be partly because many Indian dishes are naturally vegan .  For example, Sonal Ved, author of The Indian Vegan   (the book took two y...

Bean There, Brewed That: Fun Facts About Coffee

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Did you know that coffee beans aren't actually beans? They're the pits of cherry-like berries found on flowering shrubs! There are two main types of coffee beans: Coffea Arabica (60% of global production): Grows at high elevations, has a refined flow, higher acidity, and more complexity. Coffea Robusta (40% of global production): Thrives at lower elevations, has a harsher taste, and is ideal for espresso. The zesty kick of coffee and tea is all thanks to their secret weapon: caffeine! It's like a little cheerleader in your cup, shouting "Wake up!" while you sip away. Here are some fun caffeine facts: Brewed coffee: 80-120 mg of caffeine per 150 ml cup Instant coffee: 50-65 mg of caffeine per 150 ml cup Tea: 30-65 mg of caffeine per 150 ml cup Low doses (20-200 mg) of caffeine = feeling good, alert, and energetic Higher doses (>200 mg) of caffeine = nervousness and anxiety Caffeine content: Arabica: approximately 1% by weight Robusta: approximately 2% by weight ...

Food Shelf Life: Minimum and Maximum Ranges

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By understanding the typical shelf life of the groceries you purchase, you can better plan your purchases and how to store them. The Bullet Bar charts below display the minimum and maximum shelf life of various packaged perishables & groceries, based on my personal experience & data from the India database of Open Food Facts . Note that perishables have to be maintained according to the temperature & conditions mentioned on the package. Apps like Foodless allow you to track expiry dates & help prevent food wastage. Also see -  Food Loss & Food Waste

Open Food Facts India Database - Dec 2024 Stats 📈

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Based on the last 90 day average (as of 6-Dec-24), about 18 products are being added to the Open Food Facts India Database each day & ~540 in a month. Guess which Ingredients  are the most used among the 11K products (for which details have been added) - Sugar & Salt! On package labels in India, salt may sometimes be listed as "Iodised salt". All Images - OpenFoodFacts.org The Brands (among 2500+ in the database) with currently the highest number of products added are: Britannia Amul Parle  Cadbury  Haldiram's  Sunfeast  Dabur  Maggi  Nestle  Kellogg's  The top food categories (among 1713 categories compared to 71111 categories in the overall global database) are: Biscuits Snacks  Beverages  Breads  Peanut butters Potato crisps  Sweetened beverages  Instant noodles  Teas  Milks  Check the  Open Food Facts Dashboard for India  for a quick overview of the completeness and data qual...