Packaged snacks marketed as healthy are increasingly popular, with supermarket shelves offering millet chips, ragi cookies, jowar puffs, protein bars, seed crackers, vegetable chips, baked namkeen and roasted makhana. However, the presence of a nutritious ingredient does not automatically make the finished product healthy. In this edition of ‘Indian Food Decoded’, nutritionist Lakshmi Kale, head nutritionist at Nutrition In Sync, explains what consumers should consider before choosing these snacks.

Grain-based snacks such as millet chips, jowar puffs, ragi snacks and multigrain crackers may contain nutritious whole grains, but processing can significantly change the overall nutritional profile. When grains are combined with ingredients such as starch, oil, salt and flavourings, the final product should not be treated as nutritionally equivalent to the original whole grain. Kale points out that a nutritious ingredient can be part of a snack without making the entire product equally nutritious.

Vegetable chips can create a similar health impression because they are made using ingredients such as beetroot, carrot, okra or spinach. However, they remain packaged snacks, and their nutritional value depends on how they are prepared. According to Kale, a packet of beetroot chips should not automatically be counted as a serving of vegetables, particularly when the product also contains considerable amounts of oil and salt. The key issue is the finished product rather than simply the vegetable used to make it.

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The same principle applies to cookies and snack bars marketed with health-focused ingredients. Ragi, oats, almonds or millets may offer nutritional benefits, but a cookie remains a processed snack and should be viewed accordingly. Granola and energy bars can contain nuts, oats, seeds and dried fruit, but some formulations may also contain significant amounts of added sugar, syrups or fats. Consumers therefore need to look beyond the ingredient highlighted prominently on the packaging.

The term “protein” can also create a health halo around packaged snacks. Protein chips, cookies, namkeen and bars may provide protein, but protein is only one part of the nutritional picture. A product can contain substantial protein while also being high in calories, sodium, saturated fat or added sugar. Kale also notes that what counts as a suitable snack can differ from person to person, depending on individual nutritional needs and convenience.

For consumers, the simplest approach is to turn the packet around and read the nutrition information and ingredient list rather than relying only on claims printed on the front. Checking protein and fibre, along with sodium, added sugar and saturated fat, can provide a clearer picture of the product. Portion size is equally important, as the amount listed as one serving may differ considerably from the quantity a person actually eats.

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