India Food Stats

Back in 2018, a 600g pack of Britannia Good Day Cashew Cookies costed Rs 105. Thanks to an archived image from 2018 from Open Food Facts , if you check the list of ingredients, you'll see that Cashew Nuts constituted 4.5% of the weight. All images are from Open Food Facts - the Wikipedia of Food By mid 2024, the cost increased to Rs 135 and the Cashew content reduced to 1.8%! 😲 Can a cookie with a mere 1.8% cashew content truly earn the title of "Cashew" Cookie? It's like calling a splash of lemon in water "lemonade"! Other brands' packaging might lead you to believe their biscuits are brimming with nuts, but a closer look at the ingredients list often reveals a nutty illusion rather than a nut-filled reality. UNIBIC's Kesar Cashew Badam Cookies boast a 'nutty' 1% of actual nuts, and the exotic Kesar or Saffron flavor? Well, that's courtesy of some creative artificial flavoring substances. 😦 McVitie's Tasties Cashew & Almond Co...

All images from OpenFoodFacts.org A comparison of Open Food Facts data from  December 27, 2023  &  November 27, 2024 , reveals that Aachi Biryani Masala has lowered its spice content and upped the salt. Within the Spice Content, the ingredients also changed - Onion flakes were introduced in 2024. While the order of the listing typically indicates which ingredient has a higher quantity & which is lower, the percentages of the individual spices is not mentioned. Ingredients in 2023 : Spice Content-93% (Red Chilli Powder, Dry Ginger, Garlic Flakes, Cloves, Cassia Bark (Taj), Fennel, Cardamom, Marati Moggu, Star Anise, Bay Leaves, Sesame, Turmeric Powder) and Salt-7% Ingredients in 2024 : Spice Content: 89% (Red Chilli powder, Coriander, Fennel, Garlic flakes, Onion flakes, Cassia bark (Taj), Dry Ginger, Star anise, Cumin, Bay Leaves, Turmeric powder, Pepper, Cardamom, Cloves, Mace) and Salt - 11%

If you thought the packaged food product you bought after checking its ingredients last year remain the same today, you could be in for a surprise. Let's look at the labelling of Everyday 100% Whole Wheat Bread The ingredients and nutritional information are presented in smaller print compared to the eye-catching marketing text - The label in November 2024 The ingredients list from November 2024 & January 2023 are listed below in the  following table. All images are from Open Food Facts - the Wikipedia of Food (click on dates in the table to see more about this product) November 2024 January 2023 Notes Whole Wheat Flour Whole Wheat Flour Same but percentage not mentioned - Wheat Bran Missing in new formulation - Gluten Sugar Sugar Yeast Yeast Iodised Salt Salt Refined Palmolein Oil Edible Vegetable Oil Transpar...

Palm oil is a widely used ingredient found in a vast array of processed food and consumer products. Its presence in everyday items like chocolates, biscuits, cakes, soaps, shampoos, and cleaning products underscores its significance in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector.  Did you know that in products like instant noodles, palm oil can comprise up to 20% of the total weight according to this NDTV Profit article . Palm oil constitutes a significant portion of the raw material costs for many FMCG companies.  For giants like Hindustan Unilever Ltd. (HUL), this essential ingredient can make up 15-20% of their total raw material expenses, while it is even higher for Britannia and Nestle. HUL obtains its supply from its subsidiary, Unilever Oleochemical Indonesia.  The recent 12% surge in palm oil prices, representing a 46% year-on-year increase, has put a strain on these companies, squeezing their profit margins.  To mitigate the impact of rising prices, compani...

Health & fitness advice from tech entrepreneur & endurance athlete, Dilip Kumar - 1. Focus on what you eat, as well as when and how much you consume.   2. Cook your own meals—it’s a key step to taking control of your health.  Avoid processed foods that come in boxes, bags, or cans, especially those high in refined grains and sugar.  3. Eat a high-protein, nutrient-dense diet.   4.  Exercise to feel confident, prevent disease, and counteract the negative effects of a desk job. 5.   Prioritize strength training to build and maintain muscle, especially as you age by including activities like lifting weights, home workouts, running, or sports. 6.   Consistency matters more than intensity—stick to a routine.  7.  Treat sleep as a performance enhancer:       - Stop eating at least 3 hours before bed.       - Avoid screens for 1 hour before bed.   8. Balance stress with a...