Summary feedback
Complan was launched in India in 1964 as a health beverage. In India, when children are fussy about eating food, mothers don’t think twice before replacing their childrens’ meals with Complan, usually in milk with some added sugar.
We note with concern that a single serving size of 55 gm of Complan contains 19 gm of sugar, which is high and especially so in these times when childhood obesity and diabetes are becoming major concerns.
The foodnetindia rating for this product :-
foodnetindia safety rating : 5 -(On a scale of 1 to 10 from very unsafe to very safe)
Parents like to add health beverages like Complan to milk along with even more added sugar whenever kids drink milk, and so kids end up consuming much more sugar than they should. It is fairly well understood that excessive consumption of sugars and starches is behind the great increase in childhood obesity and diabetes. Complan is very sugary and when added to milk, no more sugar should be added to it, but parents go overboard and end up adding more sugar to the already sugary drink making it potentially unsafe and definitely unhealthy.
foodnetindia wholesomeness rating : 6– (On a scale of 1 to 10 from very unbalanced nutrition profile to excellent nutrition profile)
Complan is wholesome and nutritious with the goodness of milk in it, and it also contains 23 essential nutrients for the body.
Drinks like Complan can be used as energy boosters in limited quantities but must not be considered a meal replacement because of the high quantity of sugars in it. Kids and adults’ diets must focus on wholesome variety that includes eggs, green leafy vegetables, pulses, fruits, meats, fish and vegetables which are healthy naturally!
Ingredients of concern in Complan
Sugar
Edible Vegetable oil
Annatto IN 160b
Added flavours and Colours
Sugar
Complan has 19 gm of sugar in 55 gm serving, it does not specify which sugar has been used. This is important because different sugars have different metabolic effects. For example, Sucrose (Cane Sugar) is very different from Fructose (Fruit Sugar). Some foods use high fructose corn syrup which may be harmful in much lower quantities than sucrose. We believe that it is not responsible behaviour for a brand to not clearly state what ingredients have been used.
Edible Vegetable Oil
This food product does not specify which edible vegetable oil has been used. We believe that it is not responsible behaviour for a brand to avoid clearly stating what ingredients have been used.
Certain vegetable oils contain very large amounts of biologically active fats called Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which could be harmful in excess. Excess polyunsaturated fats may react with oxygen and oxidised Omega-6 fats can damage body functions and perhaps even vital structures like DNA. In addition, consumers need clear information about the type of vegetable oil used, so that they can take action to maintain a healthy balance between Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acid consumption.
Annatto IN 160b
Annatto is a natural colour isolated from the seeds of the annatto tree (Bixa orellana ). Annatto is the name of the crude extract, whereas bixin is the fat-soluble colour and norbixin the water-soluble colour. It is a food colour whose colour ranges from red to brown depending on the solvent used for extraction. Annatto has been suspected of causing allergies and eczema, though it isnot always known which component in the mixture is the causative agent of these side effects.
Added flavours and Colours
This food product does not specify which flavours or flavouring substances have been used. The flavours should be specified as some of them have serious side effects and may not be suitable for infants, pregnant women or people who are allergic. We believe that it is not responsible behaviour for a brand to avoid clearly stating what ingredients have been used.
By not specifying what these flavours and substances are, we are forced to consider what they are hiding and why would they be so reluctant to mention what they have used in the food product!
By this behaviour, these manufacturers expose people to possible allergens or toxins that could be avoided if consumers knew what they were.
Other ingredients that are in the product but not a major source of concern in our opinion are:
Milk Solids
Maltodextrin
Minerals
Almonds
Curcumin
Vitamins
Saffron
Inositol
Taurine
L-Camitine
Peanut Oil
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Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information. foodnetindia encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.
The ingredients list of the products may have changed since this page was published. Consumers are encouraged to read warnings, labels, ingredient lists, etc.
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