Look for the packing date, not just the expiry. Look for one named ingredient, not a proprietary blend. And treat any claim to cure something as information about the company rather than the product. Those three checks tell you more than any logo on the front.
1. Packing Date Beats Expiry Date
Herbal powders rarely become unsafe. They become weak — quietly, without changing much in appearance.
A powder can be well within its expiry and have lost most of its aroma. The packing or grinding date tells you what you need to know; the expiry does not.
Realistic potency windows after opening:
| Type | Best within |
|---|---|
| Aromatic leaves — tulsi, lemongrass, curry leaf | 6 months |
| Indigo | 6 months — loses dyeing power |
| Amla, ginger, spice powders | 6–9 months |
| Green leaf — moringa, wheatgrass | 9–12 months |
| Roots and seeds — ashwagandha, methi | 12–18 months |
| Clays — multani mitti | Years |
| Honey | Indefinite |
2. One Named Ingredient, or a Full Ingredient List
Good: "Organic Neem Leaf Powder (Azadirachta indica) — 100%"
Warning sign: "Ayurvedic Hair Powder" with no ingredient breakdown, or "proprietary blend" with no quantities.
Blends hide two things: fillers, and how little of the expensive ingredient is actually in there. A blend that lists its herbs in order with proportions is fine; one that just says "herbal extract blend" is not.
Watch for bulking agents — rice flour, starch, maltodextrin — and for anti-caking agents like silicon dioxide. Neither is dangerous; both mean you are paying herb prices for something else.
3. Certification Marks That Actually Mean Something
In India, only two systems carry legal weight:
- Jaivik Bharat — the unified Indian organic mark, covering NPOP (third-party certified, used for export) and PGS-India (peer-verified, for smallholders)
- FSSAI licence number — required for any food product
A genuine certification carries a certifying body name and a number. That number is the thing to look for — a logo without one is decoration.
International equivalents: USDA Organic, EU Organic.
Phrases that mean nothing
"100% Natural" · "Chemical free" · "Farm fresh" · "Pure" · "Pesticide free" (unless a test report backs it) · "Herbal" · a generic green leaf logo
None of these is illegal. None is evidence.
And in the other direction: certification costs money and years of documentation, so many genuinely organic smallholders are uncertified. Absence of a mark is not proof of anything either. See How to Spot Fake Organic.
4. Claims That Tell You to Walk Away
Under India's Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, it is illegal to advertise that a product cures or treats a list of conditions including diabetes, cancer, heart disease and sexual conditions.
If a label says any of these, the company is breaking the law and you should assume the rest of the label is equally reliable:
- "Cures diabetes" · "Treats cancer" · "Reverses greying" · "Removes blockage"
- "Replaces your medication" · "Guaranteed results in 7 days"
- "No side effects" — anything with an effect can have a side effect
What a careful label says instead: "traditionally used to support", "a food supplement, not a medicine", and an honest statement of who should avoid it.
5. The Heavy Metal Question
Worth understanding as a category distinction, because it is the reason Ayurvedic products periodically make bad news abroad.
Traditional bhasma preparations contain processed metals and have caused documented lead poisoning cases. Plain single-herb powders are a completely different risk category.
If a label lists a bhasma, or any metal, know what you are buying. If it lists one plant, you are in the safer category.
6. Questions a Label Cannot Answer
Ask the seller:
- Where was this grown, and do you grow it?
- How was it dried? Shade-dried preserves volatile oils; high-heat machine drying does not. A grower answers instantly.
- When was it ground?
- Any test reports for heavy metals or pesticide residue?
A seller who answers specifically is telling you more than any certificate does. One who deflects is telling you something too.
The Smell Test Beats Everything on the Label
Open it and smell it. Fresh tulsi is sharply herbal. Fresh dry ginger catches in your throat. Fresh henna smells of hay.
If a powder smells of very little, it is old — whatever the date says.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is FSSAI a quality mark?
It is a licence to sell food, not a quality certification. Necessary, not sufficient.
Does organic mean no pesticide at all?
No — certain approved substances are permitted, and drift from neighbouring farms happens.
Is a longer ingredient list better?
Usually the opposite. For single herbs, one ingredient is the goal.
What does "proprietary blend" mean?
That you are not being told the proportions. Sometimes legitimate, often used to hide how little of the costly ingredient is present.
Should I worry about no expiry date?
Yes — an FSSAI-licensed food product in India must carry one.
Related
Storage and shelf life · Farm-direct vs marketplace
General information. Food supplements are not medicines. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
