When paediatrician Dr Sivaranjani Santosh saw children fighting for their lives after consuming drinks marketed as ORS, she knew something was deeply wrong. These high-sugar beverages, often sold in pharmacies and labelled as ‘Oral Rehydration Salts’, were anything but life-saving.
This sparked an eight-year battle, a legal and public campaign to stop companies from misleading parents and endangering children. Her persistence finally paid off this year, after the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) ordered that no brand can use the term ‘Oral Rehydration Salts’ unless it meets the exact World Health Organization (WHO) formula standards.
But as Dr Santosh told indianexpress.com, the fight isn’t over. “Even after changing the labels, you cannot sell these sugary liquids in pharmacies, hospitals, or schools. Yet, many leading brands continue to do so in the name of ORS.”
Dr Santosh’s fight isn’t just about children; it’s about all of us. If even something as basic as ORS can be twisted by marketing, how can we trust what we pick off the shelf? Labels often hide more than they reveal.
And for those of us in midlife — when metabolism slows, stress levels climb, and the body’s hydration needs shift — staying truly hydrated becomes even more important.
This week, we’re unpacking that hidden danger and sharing how to hydrate the right way, from what to look for in an actual ORS to how electrolytes really work in your body.
Fashion designer Masaba Gupta once reminded her followers of this in the simplest way possible. While taking a break by the sea, she posted a story sipping on an electrolyte drink with the caption: “Electrolytes + hydration in the sun.” As experts Garima Goyal and Rajni Sharma explain, dehydration can lead to fatigue, headaches, and muscle cramps.
To keep electrolyte levels stable, they share how you can naturally incorporate electrolytes into your diet.
Unfortunately, fake and misleading products continue to flood the market. As content creator Revant Himatsingka (Food Pharmer) warns, “Most of the ORS in Indian pharmacies are fake! These companies trademark the word ‘ORS’, but they are not an ORS. Fake ORS has high sugar and dangerously low sodium.”
Dr Aklesh Tandekar, a critical care doctor, says that real ORS formulations follow strict guidelines and ensure standard quality is maintained.
Moral of the story? Always read the label. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll all start questioning what those so-called healthy foods and drinks in our fridge are really made of.
Until next time,
Swarupa Tripathy
DISCLAIMER: The articles in this newsletter are based on information from the public domain and/or experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
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