How to read a health supplement label in India: an 8-point checklist

By Kraeuterhaus Sanct Bernhard India · Last checked 30 September 2026

To read a health supplement label in India, check eight things: the product category ("health supplement"), the FSSAI logo and licence number, the ingredient list, the amount of each active ingredient per serving, the %RDA for vitamins and minerals, the veg or non-veg mark, the directions and warnings, and the name and address of the company behind it. This guide explains each point, what the FSSAI rules say about it, and how to verify a licence number yourself.

The 8-point label checklist

1. Category: the pack should say it is a health supplement or nutraceutical, not a medicine.
2. FSSAI logo and licence number: printed on the pack, and verifiable online.
3. Ingredient list: active ingredients listed ahead of the additives.
4. Amount per serving: how much of each active ingredient one serving gives, and how many units make one serving.
5. %RDA: for vitamins and minerals, the share of the daily reference amount in one serving.
6. Veg or non-veg mark: the declaration required by Indian labelling rules.
7. Directions and warnings: the daily dose, precautions and who should ask a doctor before use.
8. Who stands behind it: the manufacturer or marketer's name, address and customer care details.

Is a health supplement a medicine?

No. In India, health supplements and nutraceuticals are regulated as foods by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). FSSAI's official FAQ on these regulations explains that products claiming to prevent, treat or cure a disease "are more akin to drugs", and that the labelling, presentation and advertisement of supplements "shall not claim that the product has the property of preventing, treating or curing a human disease". [1]

That is why a genuine supplement label describes what is in the product and how to take it, rather than promising to fix a health problem. Words such as "health supplement" or "not for medicinal use" on a pack are normal and expected.

1. Find the FSSAI logo and licence number

Every packaged food sold in India, including supplements, carries the FSSAI logo and the licence or registration number of the business responsible for it. You do not have to take the number on trust. FSSAI runs a public verification facility on its FoSCoS portal that lets consumers check the authenticity and status of an FSSAI licence or registration. [2]

To check a number, open FoSCoS from FSSAI's licence-verification page, use the search for licence or registration details, enter the number exactly as printed on the pack, and compare the business name and address in the result with the label. If the number is missing, or the details do not match, ask the seller before you buy.

2. Read the ingredient list

Indian labelling rules require the ingredient list in descending order of quantity, followed by the food additives. For tablets and capsules, where the active ingredient can weigh less than the fillers, FSSAI recommends listing the active ingredients ahead of the additives. [1]

Here is a real example from the label of our L-Arginine Revive Essence: "L-arginine (77 %), Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, filler Calcium Carbonate, anti-caking agent Magnesium Stearate, filler Corn Starch, Vitamin B6 Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12." The active ingredient comes ahead of the rest, the capsule shell material (hydroxypropylmethylcellulose) is named, and each additive is given with its class, such as "filler" or "anti-caking agent".

3. Check the amount per serving, not the pack size

A supplement label should state the amount of each active ingredient per serving. NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements describes the same basic idea for supplement labels everywhere: the label lists the active ingredients, the amount per serving and the other ingredients. [3]

Two details are easy to miss:

• Serving size. One serving is not always one unit. For example, the label dose of our Biotin Radiant Revive is 4 tablets a day, so the daily amount is four times the per-tablet figure.
• Extract amount vs nutrient amount. A line such as "Agathi extract 500 mg" gives the amount of a plant extract. It is not the amount of any single vitamin inside that extract. When you compare products, compare the same thing on each label.

4. Understand %RDA

RDA stands for Recommended Dietary Allowance. In India, the reference values come from the Indian Council of Medical Research and the National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN). Their 2020 report defines two main values: the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR), the median requirement in a population, and the RDA, the 97.5th percentile of the requirement distribution, which covers nearly all healthy people. [4]

A %RDA figure tells you how much of that daily reference amount one serving provides. FSSAI's FAQ adds two useful points: the vitamins and minerals in a health supplement shall not exceed one RDA as specified by ICMR, and "RDA", "one RDA" and "100 per cent RDA" mean the same thing. [1]

RDAs differ for men and women. In the ICMR-NIN 2020 tables, for example, the RDA for iron is 19 mg for men and 29 mg for women, and for zinc it is 17 mg and 13 mg. [4] So the same %RDA on a label can mean a different share of your own requirement. Our guide on how to choose a daily multivitamin works through a real label.

5. Look for the veg or non-veg mark

FSSAI's FAQ notes that supplement ingredients from animal sources are not banned when they are permitted by the regulations, and that such products must declare vegetarian or non-vegetarian status under the Packaging and Labelling Regulations, 2011. [1] If this matters to you, look for the mark on the pack itself. A capsule shell, for example, can be made from different materials, and the ingredient list should name it.

6. Read the nutrition information, even for tablets

Nutrition information such as energy, carbohydrate and protein must be declared for tablets, capsules and syrups too. [1] Small numbers like "1 kcal per capsule" are therefore normal on a supplement label. If you are watching your sugar intake, this panel is also where you check the sugar per serving.

7. Read the directions and warnings

Under the supplement regulations, every product must carry information on warnings or precautions, known side effects, contraindications and published product-drug interactions, as applicable. FSSAI explains why: most of these products are taken by the general public without supervision, so the label is where the safety information has to be. [1]

Read this section before you buy, not after. If you take any medicine, have a medical condition, or are pregnant or breastfeeding, show the label to your doctor or pharmacist. NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements also advises telling your healthcare providers about every supplement you take, and reminds readers that "natural" does not always mean safe. [3]

8. Check who stands behind the product

The label should name the manufacturer or marketer, with a full address and customer care details. That is who you contact with a question or complaint, and it is the name you compare against the FoSCoS result in point 1.

Red flags on a supplement label or listing

• A promise to fix a disease or health problem, or wording that presents the product as a replacement for medical care.
• A promise of a specific result by a specific date.
• No FSSAI number, or a number whose details do not match on FoSCoS.
• Claims of clinical proof with no study named.
• No list of ingredients or amounts per serving, or no warnings at all.

How we label our products

Each of our five products is sold as a health supplement, with the amount of each active ingredient per serving, the directions and the warnings printed on the pack and repeated on the product page. You can read the full label information for Daily Vitamin Blend, Cider Core Slim, Biotin Radiant Revive, L-Arginine Revive Essence and Cardio Thrombo Fit, or browse all our products. See also our Fruitflow® guide. Kräuterhaus Sanct Bernhard has German heritage since 1903, and our German formulas are made fresh in India.

Frequently asked questions

What does "not for medicinal use" mean on a supplement?

It means the product is sold as a food supplement under FSSAI's rules, not as a medicine. Supplements in India may not claim to prevent, treat or cure a disease. [1]

How do I check whether an FSSAI licence number is genuine?

Use FSSAI's public licence-verification facility on the FoSCoS portal. Enter the number from the pack and compare the business name and address with the label. [2]

What does "one RDA" mean on a supplement label?

It means one serving provides the full ICMR recommended daily allowance for that nutrient. FSSAI regards "RDA", "one RDA" and "100 per cent RDA" as the same thing, and one RDA is also the upper limit for vitamins and minerals in a health supplement. [1]

Do Indian supplement labels have to list side effects and interactions?

Yes. The regulations require warnings or precautions, known side effects, contraindications and published product-drug interactions, as applicable. [1]

Is taking more than the label dose better?

No. Follow the label dose. NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements notes that you may get more of some nutrients than you think from fortified foods, and that more is not always better. [3] ICMR-NIN also set tolerable upper limits for nutrients in its 2020 report for this reason. [4]

This article is general information, not medical advice. Our products are health supplements, not medicines, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please read the label before use.

Sources

1. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. FAQs on the Food Safety and Standards (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, Functional Food and Novel Food) Regulations, 2016 (6 October 2020). fssai.gov.in (PDF)
2. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. Citizen Services: License Verification. fssai.gov.in
3. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplements: What You Need to Know (consumer fact sheet, updated 4 January 2023). ods.od.nih.gov
4. ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. A Brief Note on Nutrient Requirements for Indians, the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) and the Estimated Average Requirements (EAR), 2020. Tables 3 and 4. nin.res.in (PDF)

Sources checked on 30 September 2026.