For many Indians, a cup of tea is incomplete without biscuits. We dunk them in, savor them with each sip, and sometimes even use them to eat when we’re in a hurry.
And while there are various types of biscuits out there, one which has been a favourite among people is the Marie biscuit or Marie gold biscuit from Britannia.
However, the important question is whether Marie biscuit is good for health.
Unfortunately no.
From being made with unhealthy ingredients like refined flour and refined palm oil to being high in calories and saturated fat, many reasons make Marie biscuit bad for your health.
Keep reading to find out what all those reasons are!
Also read: Is Oreo Biscuit Good For Health? Find Out The Truth!
Nutritional value of Marie biscuit
Here is the nutrition information for a 100g serving of Marie biscuit.
- Calories: 445
- Carbohydrates: 78.9g
- Sugar:21.9g
- Fat: 10.7g
- Protein:8.4g
- Fiber:0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Calcium:60mg
- Iron: 3mg
Ingredients in Marie biscuit
Like any other regular biscuit, Marie biscuit is also made of refined flour. The other ingredients include:
- Sugar
- Refined palm oil
- Invert sugar syrup
- Milk solids
- Raising agent[503(ii),500(ii)]
- Iodized salt
- Emulsifier(472e)
- Calcium salt
- Dough conditioner(223)
- Natural color(150d)
- Artificial flavors
6 Reasons Marie biscuit is not good for health
Maida is the main ingredient
More than 70% of the Marie biscuit is made from refined white flour or maida, which is one of the first reasons that make it bad for your health.
Maida might be a staple in Indian cuisine, but it is not particularly healthy.
It is high in carbohydrates, low in nutrients and has been associated with many health problems such as weight gain, high blood sugar levels, and even intestinal problems.
In addition, maida has been found to contain unhealthy and harmful additives such as Benzoyl peroxide and alloxan.
Despite all these problems, it’s unfortunate that every popular biscuit in the market uses maida as the main ingredient.
Loaded with sugar
Marie biscuit is high in sugar, which is enough reason to avoid it altogether.
A 100g serving of Marie biscuit comes with about 21.9g sugar.
While this amount of sugar is below the prescribed 25-30g per 100g, it is still high for children and anyone looking to lose weight.
A single 5 Rs packet of Marie biscuit can exhaust around 24% of the daily sugar limit for adults and 28% for children.
Including sugar-packed foods in your diet can lead to many health issues, such as weight gain, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases[1].
Also read: 8 Best Sugar-Free Biscuits In India That You Must Try
High in calories
The maida and the sugar content of the Marie biscuit make it a high-calorie-packed food.
While some calories are needed to provide energy to your body, consuming too much can cause excess fat and weight gain.
Use of refined palm oil
Marie biscuit uses refined palm oil, which has been linked to high cholesterol(LDL) in studies[2].
Refined palm oil is highly processed and lacks the beneficial nutrients of unrefined palm oil. It is high in saturated fat, which increases the risk of heart disease.
However, palm oil is present in limited quantities in packaged foods. Still, as palm oil has become a common practice in every packaged food out there, it is becoming a health concern.
For these reasons, it is best to avoid refined palm oil when possible and/or at least limit consuming food containing it.
Use of caramel color
Marie biscuit uses natural color (150d) or commonly called caramel color.
While this natural color is common in packaged foods and is deemed safe by food authorities, some studies show it is bad for health.
As per consumer reports, caramel color can contain a potential carcinogen called methylimidazole.
Also, it might cause high blood pressure levels and allergic reactions in some people who are sensitive to this color[3].
Not gluten-free
Marie biscuit is not gluten-free, meaning it contains wheat and can be harmful to people with gluten intolerance.
Is Marie biscuit good for weight loss?
Marie biscuit is not a good choice for weight loss because it is high in calories and sugar and is made from maida.
If you want to lose weight or maintain a healthy diet, it is better to eat whole wheat biscuits that are high in protein and fiber and have less sugar or no sugar at all.
Despite this, you can limit your consumption to 4-5 Marie biscuits daily.
Remember that one particular food will not make or break your weight loss or health goals–it is your diet as a whole that matters.
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