Summary feedback
Bikaji Lite Chiwda Mixture is composed of Rice flakes, roasted gram, corn flakes deep fried in edible vegetable oil seasoned with curry leaves and fennel seeds.
The product name has the word ‘Lite’ & yet has calories and fat content similar to other snacks and namkeens of a typical serving size of 30 gms.
The foodnetindia rating for this product:
foodnetindia safety rating: 3 – (On a scale of 1 to 10 from very unsafe to very safe)
This product has high salt content of 714 mg per 100 gm serving pack. High salt consumption is linked to high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases.
foodnetindia wholesomeness rating: 4 – (On a scale of 1 to 10 from very unbalanced nutrition profile to excellent nutrition profile)
The product has wholesome roasted gram and is fried in refined palmolein oil which altogether add wholesomeness to the product. Unlike most other vegetable oils, palmolein is primarily saturated fat, it is better suited for cooking. It does not have too much PUFA, which can get oxidized under heat and is rendered toxic. Bengal gram is the primary ingredient in this food, which makes it a generally healthy and wholesome choice when eaten in reasonable quantities.
Ingredients in Bikaji Lite Chiwda Mixture which are a concern:
Edible vegetable oil (Peanut oil/ Palmolein oil/ Corn oil)
Sugar powder,
Edible common salt,
Sugar Powder
This food product 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.
Salt
High sodium diets have been known to be the cause of high blood pressure, heart disease, etc. The recommended daily intake of salt is between 1-3 grams.
Edible Vegetable Oil (Peanut oil/ Palmolein oil/ Corn oil)
Certain vegetable oils like peanut and corn oil 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.
Ingredients which are not a concern:
Rice flakes,
Roasted gram,
Corn flakes,
Curry leaves,
Fennel seeds,
Rock salt,
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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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