Nutri Score, The Easiest Way to Lose Weight? Just Know What You’re Eating

Walk into any supermarket in India, and you’ll see endless choices — biscuits, chips, and so-called “healthy” drinks. But how do you know which ones are actually good for you? Unlike Europe, where Nutri-Score helps people quickly understand the nutritional value of food, India has no such system.

What is Nutri-Score?

Nutri-Score is a front-of-pack label that ranks food from A to E (green to red), based on how healthy it is. The score is calculated by looking at good ingredients (fiber, protein, fruits, vegetables) and unhealthy ones (sugar, salt, fats). This makes it easier for people to make informed food choices.

The score is calculated using a formula that assigns points based on the amount of beneficial and harmful nutrients in the product.

A (Green): Indicates the highest nutritional quality, rich in beneficial nutrients like fiber, protein, fruits, and vegetables while being low in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats.
B (Light Green): A good choice, though slightly less nutritionally balanced than an A-rated product.
C (Yellow): Represents an intermediate nutritional quality with moderate levels of beneficial and less beneficial nutrients. Products rated C tend to be high in sugar, salt, or saturated fat, which, when consumed regularly, can contribute to diet-related diseases. (Source)
D (Orange): Indicates a lower nutritional quality, often high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, making it a poor choice for regular consumption. A diet high in D-rated foods has been linked to increased risks of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
E (Red): Represents the lowest nutritional quality, containing high levels of nutrients that should be limited in a balanced diet. Studies have shown that frequent consumption of E-rated foods is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders. (Source)

How Do Habits Change When You Know the Food Rating?

When people are given clear information about how healthy their food is, their eating habits tend to improve. Here’s how a food rating system like Nutri-Score can influence your behavior:

More Informed Choices: When people see a clear A-to-E ranking, they are more likely to choose healthier options.
Reduced Consumption of Junk Food: Studies in Europe have shown that products with a red or orange label (D or E) are often avoided in favor of those rated A or B.
Encourages Food Companies to Improve Products: When consumers start choosing healthier options, brands are pressured to reformulate their products with better ingredients to achieve a higher Nutri-Score.
Better Long-Term Health Outcomes: A clear food rating system helps reduce the risk of diet-related diseases like obesity, diabetes, and heart problems by making it easier to avoid unhealthy choices.
Mindful Eating: When shoppers become aware of how their favorite foods rank, they start paying more attention to what they eat, leading to better dietary habits over time.

What Do Studies Say About Nutri-Score’s Impact?

Several studies have shown that Nutri-Score has positively influenced user behaviour.

Increased Awareness: A study in France found that 97% of adolescents recognized the Nutri-Score label, with over 90% finding it easy to understand on food packaging.
Changed Purchasing Habits: 54% of adolescents in the study reported that Nutri-Score influenced their food purchases. Older adolescents (15–17 years old) and those whose parents considered Nutri-Score were even more likely to make healthier choices.
Improved Nutritional Quality of Purchases: Another study found that people managing diseases selected lower-calorie, lower-fat foods when guided by Nutri-Score.
Healthier Product Reformulations: A 2023 study by the French consumer group found that many food brands improved their products (especially cereal bars, pastries, and breakfast cereals) to achieve a better Nutri-Score rating.

These findings show that simple, clear food labelling can have a significant impact on eating habits and public health.

Why is it Hard to Know What’s Healthy in India?

In India, food packaging does include nutritional labels, but they are often:

Complicated: The information is detailed but not easy to understand at a glance.
Misleading: Many products highlight benefits like “high protein” or “low fat” while hiding the unhealthy parts.
Lacking Clear Warnings: Even seemingly healthy products can contain high levels of sugar and salt.
Not Well-Known: Many consumers are not aware of how to read and interpret nutritional information.

What Can India Learn from Europe?

Europe’s Nutri-Score system has made healthy eating easier. India can take similar steps by:

Introducing Simple Labels: A color-coded score would help consumers make better choices quickly.
Government and Industry Support: The food industry and regulators should work together to implement clear, front-of-pack labeling.
Educating Consumers: People need more awareness about how nutrition affects health.

A Solution: Scan the Barcode and Know the Nutri-Score Instantly

To solve this problem, I have created a Nutri-Score app for Indian products. With this app, you can scan the barcode of any food item and instantly see its Nutri-Score. Most of the food items are listed here.

How It Works:

Open the app.
Scan the barcode of a packaged food product.
Instantly see its Nutri-Score (A to E) and a breakdown of its ingredients.

This tool makes it easy to check the nutritional quality of food in real time, just like Nutri-Score does in Europe.

Will India Get a System Like This?

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed a Health Star Rating (HSR) system, but it has not been widely implemented yet. Some experts argue that Nutri-Score, which is simpler and easier to understand, would be more effective. With increasing health problems like diabetes and high blood pressure, India needs a system that helps people make better food choices without confusion.

Conclusion

Europeans have an easy way to check how healthy their food is. India, with its growing packaged food market, needs a similar system. A clear, front-of-pack label can make a big difference in helping people eat healthier and live better. Would you like to see Nutri-Score in India? Share your thoughts in the comments!