Dec.18: FOOD AND HEALTH
- Posted by CERC India
- Posted in DCMBR
The truth about digestive biscuits
Tea and biscuits go together. In case you are trying to lose weight, you may opt for a digestive biscuit with your tea. But, you may not be on the right track. While digestive biscuits are a tasty way of keeping hunger pangs at bay, they are by no means a healthy snack.
Digestive biscuits originated in the early 19th century as a food to aid digestion. But today’s variant may not be so effective. Moreover, if you study the ingredients you will find that they are high in sugar, fat, sodium and semi-refined flour. And, one digestive biscuit has nearly 70 calories!
Fibre: Digestive biscuits contain fibre which may push you towards meeting your needs.
Sugar: One digestive biscuit contains 2 to 3 gm of sugar. It is not as high as a regular biscuit, but it is not healthy either.
Flour:Â The flour used for making digestive biscuits is usually semi-refined. Some brands claim not to contain refined flour or maida.
Fat: One digestive biscuit might contain somewhere around 3Â to 5 gm of saturated fat. Fortunately, digestive biscuits do not contain trans fats.
Sodium: Consuming four digestive biscuits would mean you are consuming as much sodium as if you were eating a bag of potato chips!
Additives: Packaged food with a shelf life of more than a week contains unhealthy preservatives. Digestive biscuits may also have taste enhancers that get you addicted.
Vitamins and minerals: Digestive biscuits are not a significant source of any vitamin or mineral.Â
Nutritionists advise consumers to always read the label on the packet of digestive biscuits before buying it. They must check the quantity of added sugar and fat. Consumers must also know the type of flour used – whole wheat, semi-refined or maida.Â
Consider digestive biscuits a treat rather than a regular part of your diet. Some healthier snack alternatives are a handful of nuts, a fruit, roasted chana, makhana, mixed seeds and dry fruits.
Sources: doctor.ndtv.com, www.livestrong.com, fit.thequint.com
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