Maggi is a popular instant noodles brand that was first introduced in India in 1983. Since then, it has become a staple food for many people across the country.
From kids to adults, everyone seems to enjoy this delicious and easy-to-prepare noodle in their day-to-day life.
However, have you ever wondered what ingredients Maggi has? or what nutrients it provides to your body? Or, more importantly, is Maggi good for health?
Short answer: Maggi is not good for health because it is made from maida, is low in nutrients, and contains high levels of sodium and saturated fats.
Let’s deep dive into more about Maggi, including it’s nutritional value and ingredients.
Also read: The Truth About Oats Maggi: Is It Really Healthy?
Ingredients in Maggi
The key ingredients that you could find in the Maggi includes:
- Refined wheat flour (maida)
- Palm oil
- Iodised salt
- Wheat gluten
- Thickeners (508 & 412)
- Acidity regulators (501(i) & 500(i))
- Humectant (451(i))
Nutrition value of Maggi
A 100 gram serving of Maggi provides:
- Calories: 427
- Protein: 8 g
- Carbohydrates: 63.5 g
- Sugar: 2.2 g
- Fiber: 3.6 g
- Fat: 15.7 g
- Sodium: 1172 mg
7 Reasons Maggi is not good for health
1. Low nutrients level
Maggi is low in essential nutrients such as protein, fiber, and other vitamins and minerals.
A single serving of Maggi (70 grams or one small packet) contains just 2.5 g of fiber, which is extremely low compared to what you would get from a proper meal. This is why most people do not feel full for a long time after eating Maggi.
Even other varieties of Maggi, such as atta noodle, which is marketed as being made entirely of wheat, is not entirely made of atta. The Maggi oats noodle is also not entirely made of oats and contains refined flour.
Moreover, the tastemaker also contains only 24% of the spices, and the rest is made up of fillers.
And if you think eating Maggi chicken noodles will give you more protein, you’re wrong because it only has 5% chicken bits.
2. Made from refined flour (maida)
One of the primary reasons why Maggi is bad for your health is that it is made of refined flour or maida.
We Indians are well aware that maida is unhealthy for our bodies.
Nonetheless, we continue to feed maida-based Maggi to ourselves and our children because it tastes better and is simpler to prepare. Plus, children make no complaints about it.
Maida is a highly processed flour that is low in nutrients and high in starch. People consuming maida-based foods more frequently are at increased risk of weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and elevated cholesterol.
3. High in sodium
Maggi has extremely high levels of sodium, which is not good for your health.
A single packet of Maggi contains about 860 mg of sodium, about 55% of the ideal daily limit.
While sodium is an essential part of a diet, consuming it in excess can lead to health issues such as high blood pressure, which raises the risk of heart disease and stroke. It can also cause water retention and bloating.
4. High in saturated fat
Maggi is high in saturated fat, which increases the risk of heart disease.
A single serving of Maggi contains 5.7g of saturated fat, which is approximately 44% of the daily limit (13g) recommended by the American Heart Association based on a 2000-calorie diet.
Although not all saturated fats are bad for you, some found in processed foods such as Maggi can be harmful to your health.
Consuming processed foods high in saturated fats increases your risk of heart disease and other health problems, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.
5. It is highly processed food
Maggi is highly processed food as it contains ingredients like maida, palm oil, and added sugar.
Processed foods are foods that have been modified from their natural state. This usually means that they’ve been stripped of some of their nutrients or that they’ve been enhanced with chemicals and preservatives.
Studies show that processed foods can contribute to obesity, diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, dementia, cancer, and mental illness.
6. Increase risk of diabetes
Maggi is made up of maida and has a glycemic index(GI), increasing the likelihood of developing diabetes.
According to research, people who consume maida or maida-based products such as Maggi are at an increased risk of developing diabetes.
This is because maida has a high glycemic index of 85, which spike blood sugar levels rapidly after consumption. Additionally, Maggi is low in fiber which helps regulate blood sugar levels.
Consuming foods high in glycemic indexes and low in fiber can cause weight gain and raise the risk of type 2 diabetes.
7. It contains harmful ingredients
Maggi contains maida, thickeners, colors, humectants, acidity regulators, and flavor enhancers. They are only added to enhance it’s appearance and texture.
While acidity regulators have some advantages in keeping your food safe on the shelf, they can also cause health problems such as vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea.
Also, thickeners are still under extensive research by nutrition scientists, Although some are harmful to gut health when used as food ingredients.
Is Maggi good for weight loss?
Maggi is not good for weight loss as it is highly processed and has high refined carbs, fat, and sodium levels. In addition, it is low in fiber, which plays an important role in weight loss.
Although Maggi only contains a small amount of sugar at 0.9g per serving, which may seem beneficial for weight loss, it is made of maida, which has a bad reputation for weight loss.
Maida slows down your body’s metabolic rate, which causes your body to stop burning the fats and instead start storing them, resulting in weight gain.
However, eating a very small serving of Maggi is unlikely to break your weight loss efforts.
Moreover, remember that weight loss depends not only on one food but on your overall diet and lifestyle.
For weight loss, you must focus on a healthy diet low in calories, refined carbs, sodium, and sugar and high in nutrients, along with regular physical activity.
Does eating Maggi causes cancer?
While Maggi does contain some levels of glutamic acid(from natural ingredients), eating it does not cause cancer.
Maggi was banned in India in 2015 because it was found to contain high levels of lead and monosodium glutamate(MSG). However, the company destroyed those pieces of Maggi and replaced them in the market with new pieces of Maggi.
Nestle’s official website currently states that Maggi no longer contains added MSG. Even tastemaker does not contain MSG.
Final words
While Maggi is a convenient and tasty meal option, it is not good for your health. It is highly processed, made of maida, and contains a lot of saturated fat and sodium.
Consuming frequently can lead to weight gain and increase the risk of various health problems such as digestive issues, diabetes, and heart disease.
If you can’t give up your Maggi addiction, eat it occasionally or go for Aata or oats noodles with a lower amount of maida.
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FAQs
A single 70g serving of Maggi contains 299 calories.
Maggi is not good for pregnant women because it is highly processed, contains maida, and has higher levels of saturated fat and sodium.
Despite being marketed as made of 100% atta, Atta Maggi only contains 85% atta when examining its ingredients. Additionally, its levels of protein and fiber are not good.
While it may be a healthier option than regular Maggi, it cannot be considered a healthy food.
Yes, Maggi masala contains onion in dehydrated form and garlic in dried form.
Maggi is not a good option during pregnancy because it is made from maida and has high sodium levels, which can cause constipation, gas, and other digestive issues.
Maggi is not a healthy food to consume during fever because it is highly processed and contains maida, which is difficult to digest and may cause gastrointestinal problems.
