Shopping for packaged food is one of the most challenging tasks. From confusing labels and long lists of complex ingredients to loose government regulation, identifying foods that are truly good for our health and the environment can be a daunting task. Fortunately, some companies have made their business out of offering truly healthy products that prioritize the health of their customers, their producers, and the environment.
I did my research and discovered three amazing sustainable Indian food brands that focus on healthy and mindful consumption and are good for you and the planet.
Can picking up a bar of chocolate, or your favorite garam masala during your next grocery run really help support the environment? Scroll on to find out.
Kokotrait Sustainable Fairtrade Chocolate
Ethics | Organic, Eco-friendly, Local, Healthy, Zero-waste
Packaging | Plastic-Free, Zero-waste
Health focus | Refined sugar-free and finest quality organic ingredients
Launched in 2019, the bean to Bar Chocolate brand Kocoatrait claims to be the world’s first eco-friendly, zero waste, sustainable, plastic-free chocolate, conceived and made in India. All their chocolates are made using ingredients sourced from India and packaged in upcycled materials. What’s not to love?
This conscious chocolate brand, from Chennai, has been started by a husband and wife duo who are on a mission to make chocolates healthy and sustainable. Their chocolates are formulated with the finest quality organic cocoa and ingredients locally sourced from nearby regions to cut down the carbon footprint. They use the stone-grinding method to process their cocoa to ensure the flavor, taste, and nutrition level of chocolate is not compromised. All their chocolates are sweetened with non-refined desi khand sugar to ensure they satiate your sweet cravings without compromising your health.
This brand strongly believes in minimising their carbon footprint so they ensure even their packaging is also made from waste materials. In fact, they upcycle the cocoa shells from cocoa beans in their packaging and use the virgin aluminum foil to wrap the chocolate, which can be 100% recycled.
While they are not yet a completely vegan chocolate brand, but most of their chocolates are indeed vegan. My favorite is their lavender flavored vegan chocolate, its super yum, creamy and melts in your mouth.
Paushtik
Ethics | Organic, Eco-friendly, Local, Healthy, Supporting women, Zero-waste
Packaging | Plastic-Free, Recyclable
Health focus | No preservatives, no colors or additives, fresh products
Website
The fairtrade and direct-to-consumer brand Paushtik sells the finest quality sustainably sourced organic spices and ready spice blends. All their ingredients are directly sourced from the farmers, consciously handcrafted, and are sold in eco-friendly packaging. Each of their spices are produced and released in sustainably small quantities.
Their spice blends and raw spices completely zing up your kitchen with flavor and taste. You can easily tell the difference in quality from the conventional spice brands in the market. I am in love with their curry powder, which’s become a staple in my kitchen along with their kala ghoda spice blend.
They work directly with the farmers to ensure they can maintain and be sure of the quality and authenticity of their spices. The company works with a community of women, who handcraft these spices. This provides these women employment opportunities and a safe livelihood to ensure they can take care of their family.
The brand’s mission is to be transparent, zero-waste, sustainable and, 100% organic.
They source the spices grown from an heirloom seed varietal using situational organic practices from across the country. I love that they are reviving our heirloom spices, especially the indigenous range like black turmeric, and lakadong turmeric.
Naturally Yours
Ethics | Organic, Eco-friendly, Healthy
Packaging | Plastic
Health focus | Refined flour-free, supports gluten-free, no chemicals, preservative-free
Website
The biggest of the three, Naturally Yours offers a range of healthy pasta and noodles crafted without any refined flour, preservatives, chemicals, or anything you wouldn’t put in your stomach. From millets and quinoa to black rice, they use an interesting mix of grains in their products that surprisingly taste delicious. Honestly, I don’t like any other pasta or noodle anymore.
The company was started back in 2010, by a husband-wife duo as a small-scale startup out of an experiment, and has grown leaps and bounds then. Their products are available all across India and are also available on portals like Amazon, Flipkart, Shopclues, Healthkart, Pepperfry among others.
All their products are made in small batches with high-quality grains, sourced straight from their farmers to ensure the freshness and quality of the products. For example, their millets are sourced from a farmer group based out of Anantapur.
Their gluten-free quinoa pasta and multi-millet noodles are a staple in my kitchen and they’re are too good. If you’re wondering, rest assured they don’t taste healthy at all – if you know what I mean. Wink Wink!
