India's packaged food market is projected to cross $120 billion by 2027. But how much of what lines our supermarket shelves is actually good for us? We used Praan's health scoring algorithm — which evaluates nutrition density, additive safety, processing level (NOVA), and ingredient quality — to rank 25 of the most popular packaged foods in India across five categories.
Each product receives a score from 0 to 100. Higher is healthier. The results reveal a wide gap between marketing claims and nutritional reality.
46% of Indian packaged foods score below 50 on Praan's health scale. The healthiest options are overwhelmingly in the staples category, while snacks and beverages routinely score under 40. The gap between the best and worst products in this list is 52 points.
Category Overview
Average health scores vary dramatically by category. Staples lead by a wide margin, while snacks bring up the rear.
🍞 Staples
Staples consistently score highest because they tend to be minimally processed, single-ingredient foods. The best staples in India are whole grains and unpolished dals — products that have not been stripped of their natural fibre and micronutrients.
🥛 Dairy
Dairy scores are moderate. Plain, fermented products like curd and dahi perform well thanks to natural probiotics and simple ingredient lists. Processed dairy like cheese slices drops sharply due to emulsifiers and high sodium.
🍿 Snacks
Snacks have the lowest average category score. Even the "healthier" options in this category rely on refined ingredients, palm oil, and added sugar. The gap between marketing claims ("baked, not fried") and actual health impact is widest here.
🍼 Beverages
Beverages are deceptively unhealthy. Fruit juices that claim to be "100% natural" often contain reconstituted concentrates and significant sugar. The only beverage to score above 70 in our analysis is, unsurprisingly, water.
🍴 Ready-to-Eat
Ready-to-eat meals trade convenience for health. High sodium, preservatives, and ultra-processing are common. The best performers in this category use real spices and traditional recipes, but none escape the processing penalty entirely.
What This Ranking Tells Us
Staples dominate the top spots. The five healthiest products in India are all staples — grains, flours, and dals. These are NOVA 1 (unprocessed) or NOVA 2 (processed culinary ingredients) foods that have not been engineered with additives, flavour enhancers, or preservatives.
Marketing does not equal health. Products marketed as "healthy" — like baked snacks, fruit juices, and "nutri" biscuits — often score in the 40-60 range. The health halo effect is strongest in the snacks and beverages categories, where brands use terms like "multigrain," "baked," and "no added sugar" to obscure high processing levels.
Dairy is a mixed bag. Plain, fermented dairy products perform well. But the moment dairy is processed into slices, spreads, or flavoured yogurts, the score drops significantly. The 24-point gap between Amul Masti Dahi (76) and Britannia Cheese Slices (52) tells the whole story.
Water is the healthiest beverage. This might sound obvious, but the fact that Bisleri Water (85) scores 43 points higher than Dabur Real Mixed Fruit (42) reinforces a simple truth: packaged beverages in India are, overwhelmingly, sugar delivery vehicles.
How We Score
Praan's health score (0-100) evaluates four dimensions of every packaged food product:
- Nutritional density — macro and micronutrient profile per serving
- Additive safety — risk assessment of every listed additive (E-numbers, preservatives, colours)
- Processing level — NOVA classification from unprocessed (1) to ultra-processed (4)
- Ingredient quality — whole vs. refined ingredients, oil types, sugar sources
Scores in this article are based on product data available as of March 2026. Formulations can change — always scan the latest packaging with Praan for up-to-date scores.