These days a lot of people for better health, higher energy, more strength and fitness are, adding health drinks in their diet to improve their daily nutrition intake. We have put together a simple analysis on which are the popular health drinks in the market and which one is the healthiest energy drink of the lot. The three most popular health energy drink brands are horlicks, bournvita and complan. All of them claim to enhance growth, provide added nutrition and even promoted as meal replacement option as they carry sufficient nutrition to compensate for a single meal.Reading the nutrition label of the best selling health energy drinks we found that the base of all the three health drinks are nearly same when compared to their carbohydrate, fat and sugar value. We require carbohydrates for energy, protein for muscle building, fat for basic functions etc. The health drinks contain a large number of vitamins and minerals which improve the cell functions in the body. Below are the nutrition content of horlicks, bournvita and complan

Complan: Milk protein – 18 gms; Fat – 11 gms; Carbohydrate – 62 gms of which sucrose is 27 gm.

Bournvita: Protein – 7 gms; Fat – 2 gms; Carbohydtare- 84 gms of which sugar is 70.3 gm.

Horlicks: Fat – 2 gms; Carbohydtare- 79.2 gms of which sugar is 13.5 gm.

  • The major portion of the health drink is carbohydrates that easily breakdown in our bodies to provide energy. 
  • The carbohydrates can be simple sugar like sucrose and glucose which instantly breakdown in our body to produce energy. 
  • Bournvita has highest amount of sugar and carbohydrates in total. Though each health drink is fortifies with important vitamins and minerals like iron, b vitamins, vitamin a, d and e which has various functions in the body is is beneficial. 
  • Horlicks contains the least sugar as compared to other healthy energy drink and contains fiber of the grain which is healthy for the stomach.

Things need to be noted

These energy drinks are mostly consumed with milk and carry sufficient amount of fortified nutrition. Even though they highlight the vitamins and minerals on the packaging in reality carbohydrate is the major component of these health drinks. People who are looking to lose weight should avoid health drinks and look for more natural foods like fruits and vegetables which are packed with vitamins and minerals and are low in calories as compared to any other food.

Bottom Line

We require only 4 teaspoon of sugar in day and anything above it gets stored as fat in our body. Carbohydrates also convert into glucose and provide energy to the body. Extra sugar in our diet increases blood sugar levels in the body reducing insulin activity and leading to long term health hazards and metabolic disorder like diabetes etc. Sugar leads to heart problems, weight gain and causes multiple problems in the body.

So if you're really adding any of these powder in your milk, be specific with the proportion. Unheaped single teaspoon without added sugar is the best way to have it.