Barcode scanner apps promise to tell you all about sly sugars or unhealthy oils in the food you buy, but the answers can vary widely.
Wondering how healthy the newly launched packet of millet pasta is and straining to read the fine print in the ingredient list? Fret not. Just download an app that can spill all you need to know about the product with just one scan. And if it’s not as good as it promises to be, the app can also suggest better options — all tailored to your dietary needs.
X-RAY VISION:
With the packaged food boom in India and a parallel health food revolution, nutrition scanner apps have gained ground as reliable guides to keep health conscious consumers on track. These are also a handy tool for those with specific dietary needs (keto, paleo, gluten-free, vegan and the works) as well as those with chronic health conditions (diabetes, hypertension, obesity, allergies). All you need to do is to provide your basics (height, weight, food preferences, allergies, diseases) and the app tells you if a particular packaged food is a good choice for you or not.
“Everyone wants cleaner options — but they’re met with false claims, diet fads, and influencer noise. That’s where we come in. We help people make better choices, one scan at a time — whether they’re avoiding harmful ingredients, managing a condition, or just want to know what’s in their ‘gluten-free quinoa cookies.”
There are others like Truthin, Chuki, and Facts Scan too. Many international nutrition scanner apps are also available in India, such as Food Switch India, my Fitness Pal and Yuka.
According to investment banking services from Avendus Capital, India is the world’s fastest growing health foods market, with health-conscious spenders expected to grow from 108 million in 2020 to 176 million by 2026.. All these apps aim to target this set of customers.
READING BETWEEN THE LINES:
It was founder and CEO Ravi Teja Putrevu’s rare diagnosis of acromegaly — a hormonal disorder leading to excess growth hormone production and making one more vulnerable to diabetes and heart disease — that gave birth to the TruthIn App. “I realized the “health claims” on many products were misleading, and worsened my risks. For instance, a product having ‘0% added sugar’ doesn’t really mean ‘diabetes-friendly’ as added sugars are just one part of the insulin spike story. Ingredients like maltodextrin (a highly processed white powder from corn, rice, wheat or potato starch) can cause an even greater insulin spike than white sugar.” The app has 10 nutritionists on board.
The TruthIn algorithm tells you the level of processing — additives, total sugars, added sugars and sodium, apart from macros like saturated fat, trans fat, protein and carbs.
“The rating is followed by an overview highlighting concerns and positives. Users can also view the product’s entire nutritional profile and map it to the recommended dietary allowance percentage a given serving size can fulfil.”
Like Xume, TruthIn also has custom features for people with diabetes, obesity, allergies and other conditions that demand a diet restriction, offering alternatives. A fair chunk of the user base for most of these apps is under 30, which is a good sign as early awareness creates lifelong impact.
But how many unsavory truths do the apps reveal? “Plenty”.
Discovering crushed beetles in candles to parents shocked by hidden sugars in baby food. A primary school uses Xume during show-and-tell, teaching kids to spot red (avoid) and green (go) labels. A health coach helped his tribe reduce sugar, while a microbiologist now uses Xume to identify inflammation-causing ingredients for clients.”
HOW ACCURATE ARE THE SCANS?:
Often, the same product is given quite different ratings by two different apps. For instance, a mini millet nippattu (like a mathri) rated 2.7 by TruthIn gets a score of 65/100 in Chuki. How can the consumer get the right picture? It’s because nutritional information is still not standardized in packaged food across the country.
“Labels vary widely in format — some use tables, others have infographic or text blocs — which can hinder data extraction for apps like TruthIn. India could benefit from uniform labeling practices that would help consumers make informed dietary choices, and enable better compliance monitoring and consumer trust.”
“Brands disguise ingredients or vaguely label them. Misleading the consumer should have consequences. With growing awareness, we’re moving that way.” But some of it also depends on the parameters different apps are using (some focus on calories, some on ingredients, others on the amount of processing or palm oil, cane sugar or harmful additives used) to assess each product, which should be standardized for optimal results.
LOOK FOR THESE ON FOOD APPS:
Fiber to carb ratio: Look for foods that have at least 1 gram of fiber for every 10 grams of carbs. The more fiber, the better.
Sodium to potassium ratio: Look for products that have as much as more potassium than sodium, as the former offsets the harms of the latter.
Saturated fat to total fat ratio: Watch out for saturated fats. These shouldn’t be more than a third of the total fat content for overall health.
