Are Parle G Biscuits Unhealthy to Consumers?

Biscuits are a very popular food type worldwide. People have been talking about them on social media for a long time. This article delved deep into misleading social media posts targeting the famous biscuit brand Parle.

Social Media Posts

Social media reels say Parlie G biscuits are unhealthy to eat. Those posts say it has excessively refined wheat and high sugar, so it`s unsuitable for consumption. They warn consumers to avoid it. For example, they are using Parle G and Gluco Biscuits. In the caption of the reel, they say the biscuits are high in added sugars and calories, while a low amount of fibre and protein is available. A further says this has process ingredients and portion control challenges, as these biscuits are always available in big packets. And the reel pointed out that a 5 Indian rupee pack contains 12 grams of sugar, 50% of an individual’s recommended daily sugar level. In here, we are fact-checking those facts. Nutrition percentage, etc.

We decided to do a fact check on this.

Fact Check

Parle-G is a brand of biscuits manufactured by Parle Products in India. A 2011 Nielsen survey reported that it is the best-selling brand of biscuits in the world. More details can be read here.

On the Parle website, we can see that there are multiple biscuit types under Parle brands, and they suggest multiple food recipes which can be prepared using Parle biscuit types. Those receipts can be read here.

Claim 1: Do Parle-G biscuits contain high amounts of added sugars that can lead to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and dental issues?

According to nutritional information available from Parle, 100g of Parle-G biscuits contains:

Energy: 1901 kJ / 454 kcal
Fat: 13g (of which saturated: 6g)
Carbohydrates: 77.3g
Sugars: 25g
Protein: 6.8g
Salt: 0.7g

(Source)

This means a single 100g serving contributes approximately 25g of sugar, which aligns closely with the WHO’s recommended maximum daily intake of free sugars (25g/day for additional health benefits).

While this sugar content is not unusual for biscuits, research from the UK found an average of ~30g sugar per 100g across major brands, it does support the argument that excessive consumption of Parle-G (or any similar biscuit) can be unhealthy if not portion-controlled.

Guideline on sugar intake for adults and children

Free sugars refer to monosaccharides (such as glucose and fructose) and disaccharides (such as sucrose or table sugar) added to foods and drinks by the manufacturer, cook, or consumer and sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices, and fruit juice concentrates. More details can be read here on the WHO site.

This is not unique to Parle G biscuits. When we consider the sugar level of biscuits globally, the average value is around 30 grams per hundred grams of biscuit. As per a broad market survey done in the UK in 2016, using 481 biscuits available in supermarkets, these details were found. The average sugar content in biscuits was 30.0±9.2 g/100 g. The mean energy content was 484±38 kcal/100 g for biscuits. There was considerable variation in sugar and energy content between different biscuit categories and within the same category. 74% of biscuits would receive a ‘red’ (high) label for sugar. The research paper can be found here.

So, it`s clear that although eating an excessive number of biscuits can impact consumers’ health, moderate eating does not.

Claim 2: Are they calorie-dense, potentially contributing to weight gain if consumed large amounts?

Yes, it can happen, as per product information. 100 g of Parle G biscuits contains 463 kilocalories. However, it is also not limited to Parle G biscuits. The average value is around 480 kilocalories per biscuit type globally, as per the abovementioned research. It`s a well-known fact that excessive sweet eating can lead to excessive weight gain. But it`s not limited to Parle G biscuits. It`s a general fact when considering biscuits and other food items.

The daily recommended calorie intake for a female is 1600 calories, while for a male, it is 2000 calories. More details can be read here at HealthLine.

This is not generally bad for moderate consumption. However, it`s bad for excessive or massive consumption.

Claim 3: Do Parle-G biscuits lack essential nutrients like protein and fibre, making them a less satisfying snack option?

Yes, Parle G biscuits lack protein and fibre. Only 6 grams of protein are in 100 grams of biscuits, and the fibre content is only 1.8 grams. More details can be read here.

The recommended daily amount of protein is around 50 grams, while the recommended daily amount of fibre is around 30 grams. So, it`s clear that the protein and fibre supply from Parle G biscuits is relatively low and insufficient.

Claim 4: Are processed ingredients, artificial additives, and preservatives in these biscuits linked to potential health risks?

Parlie G biscuits contain artificial flavours, colouring, and processed/refined ingredients. This is not limited to Parle G; it`s common to many more biscuit types.

Some Parle G biscuit types contain more than 60% of the weight of refined wheat flour or Maida. It has both positive and negative impacts on health. Details can be read here.

More details about artificial additives and etc in food industry can be reached here in research papers

Claim 5: Is it challenging to control portion sizes with Parle-G, leading to overconsumption?

It depends on the personal preparations of various individuals. However, moderate consumption is not an issue. Biscuit packets are available in fifty-gram and above sizes. A fifty-gram pack costs just five Indian rupees.

Claim 6: Do these biscuits cause rapid spikes in blood sugar levels, potentially leading to energy crashes and hunger soon after consumption?

Yes, consuming biscuits can cause rapid spikes in blood sugar levels, potentially leading to energy crashes and hunger soon after consumption. Biscuits often contain high amounts of refined carbohydrates and sugars, which are rapidly digested and absorbed, causing a quick rise in blood glucose levels. A crash can follow this as the body releases insulin to manage the spike, leading to low blood sugar and feelings of hunger and fatigue. More details can be read here.

Various steps can be taken to avoid this condition. A few of those can be mentioned here. Eat small, frequent meals, increase protein intake, eat complex carbohydrates instead of simple carbohydrates, and incorporate healthy fats into your diet. More details can be read here.

What expert says?

While having a conversation with Professor Rohitha Prasantha from the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of Peradeniya, he said that biscuits is a broader term that includes types of crackers, wafers, cookies, etc. However, biscuits are not a main meal, and none of the organizations recommend or accept the consumption of biscuits as a main meal. Biscuits mainly consist of wheat flour, sugar, and recommended food preservatives, and sometimes accepted food colorants. Using both accepted preservatives and accepted colorant-like additives in permitted limits does not harm the human body. However, there are plenty of banned food colorants as well. So, food regulatory authorities should strictly monitor the accepted additives. When considering its nutritional factors, it mainly contains wheat flour and sugar, and food processing always focuses on protecting the nutritional value. For example, adding accepted preservatives prevents the mite action and prevents the formation of toxic compounds. So it is not to deteriorate the nutrient fact; it protects nutritious value.

Conclusion

As per our investigation, we were able to find out that consuming Parle G biscuits does not create any special health risks unique to Parle. There are some common health concerns related to Parle G that are equal to almost all biscuit types, like sugar and refined wheat flour issues. However, if someone consumes biscuits at a moderate level, those issues can be managed.