HERE’S A riddle. How much is the salt intake if you eat five tablespoons of a namkeen from a pack that mentions 1,070 mg of sodium per 100 g? If you have trouble calculating that, try answering this one: How much sugar and fat does a child get on eating three-fourths of a regular-sized chocolate bar that has a serve size of 15 g?
Most of us do not usually prefer to make calculations while snacking or eating a sweet. Those who do watch their calorie intake, find it extremely difficult to read the small print of nutritional information mentioned on food or beverage packets. As per the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011, every pre-packed processed food product sold in the country must be labelled with nutritional information. This helps the consumer know everything about the food they buy and make an informed decision about what, and how much, to eat. Such information is particularly crucial because packaged food industry has been globally indicted for peddling ultra-processed foods that are high in fat, salt or sugar and low in fibre and other essential micronutrients. On the one hand, these foods cause malnutrition and on the other hand they are linked strongly with obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases, such as type-2 diabetes, hypertension, heart ailments and certain cancers, like that of the colon. All these increase the risk of premature death.
Esta historia es de la edición September 16, 2021 de Down To Earth.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición September 16, 2021 de Down To Earth.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara