Turn over any supplement pack sold in India and you will find a crowded panel of words and numbers: “Health Supplement”, “Nutraceutical”, “% RDA”, “NOT FOR MEDICINAL USE”. It can feel like reading a legal document. This guide explains what each part means, in plain words, so you can read any label with confidence.
Supplements are foods, not medicines
In India, products like vitamins, minerals and probiotic capsules are regulated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under food law, not as medicines. FSSAI has set out specific categories and labelling rules for them in its Health Supplements and Nutraceuticals regulations. That is why these products are not allowed to claim that they treat or cure any disease.
The main categories, in simple words
Health Supplement
FSSAI describes a health supplement as a concentrated source of nutrients (like proteins, minerals, vitamins and amino acids) and/or other ingredients with nutritional or physiological effects, whose purpose is to supplement the normal diet. Think of a calcium and vitamin D tablet or a multivitamin.
Nutraceutical
A nutraceutical, as FSSAI describes it, contains extracts, isolates or purified compounds that offer a physiological benefit and help maintain good health. These ingredients come from a specific FSSAI-approved list. A product combining several such compounds with vitamins may be labelled “Nutraceutical”.
Dietary supplement or food supplement
You may also see words like “Dietary Supplement”, “Food Supplement” or “Dietary Food Supplement” on packs. FSSAI’s regulations allow the term “Health Supplement” to be used interchangeably with “Dietary supplements” or “Food supplements”. In everyday terms, they belong to the same family.
Other categories you may spot
- Probiotic Food / Prebiotic Food: products built around live beneficial microorganisms, or the fibres that feed them.
- Food for Special Dietary Use: products made for specific nutritional needs.
- Food for Special Medical Purpose: products meant to be used only under medical advice; the label says so on the front.
What does “NOT FOR MEDICINAL USE” mean?
FSSAI requires most of these categories to print “NOT FOR MEDICINAL USE” prominently, in capital and bold letters. It is a clear reminder that the product is a food meant to support your diet, and is not a medicine. If your doctor has prescribed a medicine, a supplement is not a replacement for it.
Understanding RDA and % RDA
RDA stands for Recommended Dietary Allowance: the average daily amount of a nutrient that meets the needs of most healthy people. In India, RDAs are set by ICMR-NIN (Indian Council of Medical Research – National Institute of Nutrition).
The % RDA column tells you how much of that daily amount one serving provides. For example:
- “Zinc 10 mg – 58.8%” means one tablet gives a little over half the daily zinc reference value.
- “** % RDA not established” means there is no official RDA for that ingredient (common for CoQ10, probiotics or plant extracts).
Remember that % RDA is usually calculated for an average adult, so your own needs may be different. Add up what you get from all your supplements to avoid taking too much.
Other important parts of the label
- Composition / Nutritional information: each ingredient and its amount per tablet, capsule or sachet.
- Other ingredients: fillers, binders, coatings and colours used to make the tablet or capsule.
- Recommended usage: how much to take, plus the line “Not to exceed the recommended daily usage”.
- “Not to be used as a substitute for a varied diet”: a reminder that food comes first.
- Warnings and precautions: who should check with a doctor first, and any known interactions.
- Storage: for example, “Store in a cool, dry place. Keep out of reach of children.”
- Veg / non-veg symbol: a green dot for vegetarian, a brown dot for non-vegetarian (such as gelatin capsule shells).
- FSSAI licence number: a 14-digit number you can verify through FSSAI’s FoSCoS licence verification.
- Marketer and manufacturer: names and full addresses of the companies responsible.
A quick 5-step label check
- Find the category (Health Supplement, Nutraceutical, etc.) on the front.
- Read the full composition and % RDA.
- Check the recommended usage and warnings.
- Look for the FSSAI licence number and veg/non-veg symbol.
- Show the label to your doctor before you start.
The takeaway
A supplement label is your best tool for making an informed choice. Once you know what each section means, you can compare products calmly and choose what genuinely fits your diet, with your doctor’s guidance.
Explore on Ginomeds: Citrium-D3 Tablets (labelled “Health supplement”) · Amazum Gold Tablets (labelled “Nutraceutical”, with a full %RDA table) · Imbiota-LF (labelled “Dietary food supplement”)
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Nutritional supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please consult your doctor before starting any supplement, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medication.
