How Healthy Are Bournvita, Horlicks, Complan For Children? Dietician Comments On The Nutritional Value Of All
New Delhi: The debate between what is healthy and what is not is a never-ending one, often, it becomes a debatable subject. One such popular topic of discussion is about renowned health drinks for children Horlicks, Bournvita and Complan and which one is the best for growing children. While many might argue for hours about which one can make children smarter, stronger and taller, doctors seem to have a different opinion altogether. An expert with the username on TheLiverDoc on Twitter took to the micro-blogging platform to talk about Bournvita and its effects on health. On the one hand, the brand claims that adding the mix to milk can help improve brain function in children along with immunity, and bone and muscle strength. But on the other, studies associated it with health problems citing the high sugar content. Instagram influencer, The FoodPharmer deleted his video, calling out the misleading information on Cadbury's Bounrvita product. Essentially, the product claimed improved brain activity, improved muscles, improved immune system and improved bone health. All of these require empirical evidence for confirmation. Cadburys has made a statement that they have designed the product on scientific basis, which means there has to be published studies backing their claims, the expert tweeted. Basically, the claims of scientific methods or studies and the scientific evidence for everything that is written on the Bournvita product is not backed by good evidence and thus, Cadbury's claims are misleading on muscle and bone growth, immunity enhancement and brain development - there are no controlled studies to show the same. Considering the high sugar content of 71%, per serve 20g has 14.2g sugar which is approx. 57% of recommended upper daily limit and this will only increase if more milk is added, or additional sugar used over the day. Hence "claim" that using the product as advised is safe is also a misleading one, he added in the post. But from what it seems, Bournvita is not the only one stuck in the debate; Horlicks and Complan also join the fray of sugary mixes that could make milk unhealthier for your children. In an interaction with Times Now Digital, Deeksha Ahlawat, the Clinical Nutritionist with Manipal Hospital Dwarka, spoke about the three popular milk mixes and their effects on heath. Horlicks, Complan and Bournvita, in reality, must not be termed healthy drink or supplement for children. These products are only full of calories and sugar that help make milk taste better. While they claim that they can fulfil daily requirement of micronutrients like vitamin A, E, C, D, calcium, potassium, and magnesium, they do not necessarily do the trick, she said. In terms of vitamin D, it is recommended that all individuals, including children and adults, should consume a minimum 15 micrograms (or 600 units) of the micronutrient in a day. Bournvita Lil Champs, for example, contains 10 micrograms of Vitamin D per 100g which is not even close enough in terms of the recommended value. Now comes the absorption part sugar is an inhibitor in the absorption of both vitamin D and calcium. Therefore, if the product claims that it is fortified with vitamin D or calcium, it is as good as not present because sugar and milk suppress the absorption of minerals, Dt Deeksha added. The expert concluded that parents must not fall for milk mixers and instead help their children adapt a healthy lifestyle including dietary, sleep and exercise-related factors to become stronger, healthier and smarter in the long run. Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.
Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at 10:24 am