Can Horlicks Make You Fat & Cause Weight Gain?

Are you someone who wishes to add milk to their routine but can’t do it without Horlicks?

Do you also worry about the extra pounds you might gain with it?

Horlicks is a malted milk powder that you mix with warm milk to make a drink.

It comprises sugar and dried milk and it comes in different flavors.

Different people have different opinions about it being healthy or unhealthy.

Keep reading to find out how it can be adjusted to your daily diet to lose or gain weight.

Everything you need to know about Horlicks

Horlicks is a sweet malted milk hot drink powder developed by founders James and William Horlick.

It was first sold as “Horlick’s infants and Invalid foods” soon adding “aged and travelers” to its label, making it suitable for both adults and children.

People who struggle to have milk alone with no flavors especially use the malted milk powder.

Horlicks is available in a variety of pack formats. It’s delicious, hot or cold.

• Horlicks original: it’s creamy and delicious, just add milk.
• Horlicks instant: instant malty goodness, just add water.
• Horlicks chocolate: chocolate malted, just add water.

Horlicks contains the following ingredients:

• Wheat 41% (wheat flour and malted wheat)
• Malted barley
• Dried whey (milk)
• Calcium carbonate
• Dried skimmed milk
• Sugar
• Palm oil
• Salt
• Cocoa

Nutrition:

• Fat
• Carbohydrates
• Protein
• Sugar
• Vitamin D, E, C, B1, B2, B6, B12
• Calcium
• Iron
• Folic acid
• Zinc
• Biotin

Based on these ingredients, let’s find out if consuming Horlicks makes you fat or not.

Is it ok to drink Horlicks on your weight loss journey?

Yes! As long as you take it within the required limits of your daily calorie intake.

Horlicks has a high sugar content but it alone can’t make you fat. Your overall food intake contributes to your weight.

You can maintain your weight while enjoying Horlicks for sure!

Which Horlicks make you gain weight?

As mentioned, Horlicks comes in four yummy flavors. All four flavors have the same amount of calories.

Each of these can be made differently with water or milk, both hot or cold.

In case you’re wondering, none of these Horlicks would make you fat.

The problem starts, however, when one takes more than the recommended serving: Horlicks per serving amount is 25g which is 182 calories which can be taken with 200ml milk or adjusted according to your daily calorie intake.

Does Horlicks have side effects?

Horlicks can be tolerated easily, but people who have a sensitive stomach might have issues digesting it.

Some people face problems if they take Horlicks on an empty stomach (complaints of acidity and gas).

Few people say that they don’t like the taste of Horlicks with water. On the other hand, they cannot tolerate milk and Horlicks together.

Other people who do not have a sensitive stomach face issue when they consume more than the recommended amount.

Sugar and cocoa contain artificial flavoring products. These flavorings can cause nausea, bloating, and diarrhea in some people.

And of course, taking more than a normal amount will make you gain weight too!

What happens if we drink Horlicks daily?

Nothing bad happens if you drink Horlicks daily.

For many children and adults, it’s an easier way of adding milk to their routine if they don’t feel like drinking milk alone.

Horlicks have a lot of minerals and vitamins and if you have no other way of getting them regularly, it’s not a bad idea to add Horlicks to your diets.

Is Horlicks high in fat?

Horlicks have a low-fat content as compared to other macronutrients.

For example, 25g of Horlicks powder has 4g of fat, out of which 2.4g is saturated fat.

How many calories are in a single serving of Horlicks powder?

One serving of Horlicks powder has almost 182 calories.

Here’s a list of the amount of fat, carbohydrates, protein, calcium, zinc, and iron in one serving of Horlicks powder:

• Fat: 4.0g
• Carbohydrates: 28.7
• Sugar: 19.2g
• Protein: 9.3g
• Iron: 2.7mg
• Zing: 3.6mg
• Calcium: 800mg

Is Horlicks sugar-free?

Yes! A Lite version of Horlicks is available.

It is free from sugar and cholesterol and is suitable for people with diabetes.

Horlicks Lite is high in fiber and low in fat.

Though it has a baseline sugar content so it is advised to consult your doctor before using it if you are a diabetic patient.

In which country is Horlicks highly consumed?

Horlicks is highly consumed in India, where it has been traditionally marketed as The Great Family Nourisher.

New products have been developed specifically for India, such as alternative flavors and special formulas for younger children and breastfeeding mothers.

It is also very popular in Malaysia where it’s present in 70% of the kitchens and used as a drink for children.

Interesting facts about Horlicks

• Horlicks was developed by two British brothers in the United States in 1873.
• Horlicks came to India with British soldiers in World War 1 in 1918 as a diet supplement.
• India made Horlicks as a family drink in the early 1940s and 1950s.
• India’s slogan for advertising Horlicks is Taller, Stronger, and Sharper.
• UK refers to it as ‘A warming hug in a mug’.
• In India, it’s popularly known as “Mother Horlicks”.
• Horlicks has 14 vitamins.
• The basic ingredients of Horlicks are malted barley, wheat barley, and evaporated milk.
• Horlicks is served in some Chinese restaurants as a snack usually sweetened with white sugar.

Does Horlicks make you fat? Let’s conclude!

Most people around the world have less knowledge about nutrition and they end up labeling food fattening, which is wrong.

The only foods which will make you gain weight are the ones taken in more than the required quantity.

You need to keep in mind that only cutting carbs or any food you enjoy will not make you lose weight. If you wish to lose weight, it is recommended that you eat in portion control or count calories while you enjoy the food!