Level 02

Build Your Plate

What should I eat?

Understand what a balanced diet looks like.

All Snacademy levels
    1. 1.My Plate for the Day, explainedICMR-NIN's 'My Plate for the Day' shows how much of each food group makes a 2000 kcal day. See the gram amounts, group by group.
    2. 2.Whole grains and millets on your plateHow much of your plate should be cereals and millets? ICMR-NIN suggests up to 45% of energy, with at least half as whole grain.
    3. 3.Pulses, milk, eggs and meat on your plateHow much dal, milk, eggs or meat fits a balanced day? See ICMR-NIN's 2000 kcal plate amounts for vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets.
    4. 4.Fats in your dietICMR-NIN's 2000 kcal plate uses 27g fats and oils plus 30–35g nuts and seeds. See how fats fit a balanced day.
    5. 5.Indian dietary guidelines: who says whatICMR-NIN writes India's dietary guidelines; FSSAI sets labelling rules. Learn who does what and where to read the originals.
    1. 1.Energy balance explainedEnergy balance is kcal in from food versus kcal used by your body. Learn what changes your needs and what ICMR-NIN says about imbalance.
    2. 2.Portion vs serving sizeA serving is the label's reference amount; a portion is what you eat. Learn ICMR-NIN's katori sizes for measuring portions at home.
    3. 3.How much water do you need?ICMR-NIN suggests about eight glasses, roughly two litres, of water including beverages a day, and more in hot weather or heavy activity.
    4. 4.Sugary drinks and fruit juiceICMR-NIN says soft drinks don't replace water or fruit, and whole fruit beats juice. See the drinks it suggests instead.
    5. 5.Hydration myths vs factsDoes only plain water count? Is juice as good as fruit? Do soft drinks hydrate like water? Hydration myths checked against ICMR-NIN 2024.
    1. 1.How to read a nutrition labelLearn to read any Indian food label in five steps: serving size, energy, nutrients, ingredients and claims. A free Snacademy lesson.
    2. 2.Serving size on food labels, explainedPer 100g or per serve? Learn what serving size means on Indian food labels and how to work out what you actually eat.
    3. 3.Added sugar vs total sugar on labelsTotal sugar and added sugar are not the same line. Learn how to read both on a food label and where added sugar hides in ingredients.
    4. 4.How to read an ingredients listIngredients are listed by weight, largest first. Learn how to read the list, spot added sugars and fats, and find allergen declarations.
    5. 5.What front-of-pack claims really mean"No added sugar", "source of fibre", "natural": learn how FSSAI regulates claims and how to check them against the label.
    6. 6.How to compare two food labelsCompare packs fairly: use per 100g, match the nutrients you care about, then check ingredients. A step-by-step Snacademy lesson.

Educational content, not medical advice. Checked against FSSAI and ICMR-NIN sources by Team Snactivate. For personal advice, consult a doctor or dietitian.