Worried about your kids getting the right amount of nutrition to grow up? Worried about the fact your kids don’t want to drink milk and may not get the essential nutrients it has to offer? Worried about how to choose the best health drink for your kids? Then you are at the right place to get all your answers. We will be providing you with a list of the best health drinks for kids available in India, especially in this adulterated market.
Every mom wants to provide their kids with the best nutrition possible. A child’s diet can never be the same as that of an adult. So, health drinks are available in the market which consists of ample vitamins and minerals to meet their daily requirements.
Children generally tend to skip their meals and this is actually a cause of worry for Indian parents. In the beginning, the mother’s milk is considered the best source of nutrition for a baby, and after a certain age, milk is considered the best. Children/Kids don’t like the taste of milk and they tend to skip it. For this purpose, health drinks are necessary as it enhances the taste of the milk and at the same time provides further vitamins and minerals necessary for your child.
So, today in this article we will be providing a list of the best health drinks for kids in India and also will be discussing their pros and cons. Let’s begin.
How to choose the best health drink for kids?
In order to choose the best health drinks for your kids, you need to know how to choose the best health drink. In this adulterated market, you should be looking at certain points to know the difference between a health drink that actually is beneficial versus a health drink that’s useless.
- Never choose a health drink based on the branding of the product. Instead, check the back of the packaging and take a deep look at all of its ingredients.
- Concentrate on the first ingredient mentioned on the packaging. This is the main ingredient in the entire health drink. You will easily determine how good the health drink is by looking at the first two ingredients.
- Check the sugar content in the health drink. Sugar is the most harmful thing that can be present in a health drink. Always go with health drinks that contain less sugar. The WHO recommends limiting the intake of free sugar less than 10% of total calorie intake. For example a 2000Kcal diet you should not consume more than 50g of sugar from all sources.
- Companies tend to hide their sugar content by using other names of sugar. There are various other names of sugar that you also need to check. Those names include maltodextrin, corn solids, sucrose, liquid glucose, glucose solid syrup and many more.
- The more the number of ingredients present in a health drink the more complex it is. Go for a health drink that has less number of ingredients so that it can be digested easily.
- Amount of nutrients present and how will it benefit your child. The best way to secure your micronutrients is from natural food sources. Health drinks can be considered as an addon to them.
Types of health drinks in India
There are basically two types of health drinks in India.
- Malt based health drink ( malted cereal is the primary ingredient )
- Milk based health drink ( milk solids or skimmed milk is the primary ingredient )
In India, most health drink brands manufacture malt-based health drink compared to that of milk-based health drink. Milk-based health drinks are not for kids who have lactose intolerance.
List of Best health drinks for kids
1. Complan
Complan is one of the most popular health drink in India. It is available in various flavors and is extremely loved by children. Be it chocolate, vanilla or strawberry, Complan is available for every taste. Along with this Complan health drink is enriched with the right amount of nutrients which makes your children taller, stronger and sharper.
Type of health drink – Milk based health drink
Amount of sugar per 30g – 7.5g sugar
Number of ingredients – 14
Pros
- Complan has a huge brand value
- It is a 100% vegetarian product
- Packed up with vitamins that boost your immunity
- Clinically proven to boost growth and development
- Contain 34 nutrients that will be highly beneficial for your child
Cons
- The number of ingredients present in Complan is considerably more.
Pricing
1Kg Complan costs you around Rs 500.
Buy Complan from Amazon right here.
2. Horlicks
Horlicks is another option for your kids when it comes to choosing the best health drink. Horlicks just like Complan is another famous brand in India and is packed up with vitamins and minerals. It is a 100% vegetarian health drink and is great for children who are lactose intolerant. Horlicks is available in various flavors which include chocolate, classic, Kesar badam and elaichi.
Type of health drink – Malt based health drink
Amount of sugar per 30g – 4.05g
Number of ingredients – 10
Pros
- Highly trustable health drink brand in India
- Clinically proven to make your child taller, stronger and sharper
- Filled up with vitamins and minerals
- Very little amount of sugar
- Simple health drink ( less amount of ingredients are found )
Cons
- Slightly on the expensive side
Pricing
500g of Horlicks cost you around Rs 450.
Buy Horlicks from Amazon right here.
3. Horlicks Growth Plus
Horlicks Growth Plus health drink for kids has been introduced in the market with the sole aim of improving the growth of your child. It is packed up with various amino acids to make your bones stronger. It also has whey protein which is easily digested and suitable for your child.
Type of health drink – Milk based health drink
Amount of sugar per 30g – 8.07g
Number of ingredients – 18
Pros
- Horlicks Growth Plus concentrates on the development and growth of your child
- High in protein but appropriate for your child
- The amount of sugar present is moderate
- For children from the age group 3-9 years
Cons
- High amount of ingredients found in this product
- Considerably new in the market compared to other products
- Slightly on the expensive side
Pricing
400g of Horlicks Growth Plus cost you around Rs 500.
4. Bournvita
Bournvita can be regarded as the oldest health drink for kids in India. Everyone has heard about Bournvita and 90% of them have consumed it at least once. Chocolate bournvita is the most preferred flavor by children and is manufactured and marketed by the brand Cadbury. It is filled up with calcium, phosphorous, iron folate and Vitamin B12 for stronger bones. Bournvita also takes care of your child’s brain development. It is also loved and consumed by adults, you can also read a detailed article on the comparison of Horlicks, Bournvita and Boost here.
Type of health drink – Malt based health drink
Amount of sugar per 30g – 9.6g
Number of ingredients – 13
Pros
- Highly nutritive health drink packed up with vitamins and minerals
- Less amount of ingredients
- Favored by children as well as adults
- Very Budget-friendly
- The most trusted brand when it comes to health drinks
Cons
- High amount of sugar is found
Pricing
750g of Bournvita cost you around Rs 280.
Buy Bournvita from Amazon right here
5. Boost
As Boost health drink adverts itself as “Boost is the secret of my energy“, it indeed provides your child with high energy and stamina due to the presence of high amounts of vitamins and minerals. It concentrates on the overall growth by focusing on blood health, strength and energy. Boost is the best option if your child is into any sort of physical sport.
Type of health drink – Malt based health drink
Amount of sugar per 30g – 2.85g
Number of ingredients – 13
Pros
- Presence of very less amount of fat
- One of the best chocolaty health drink and preferred a lot by children
- Very little sugar present ( the lowest in this table )
- The best health drink if your child is associated with any physical sports
Cons
- Focuses only on improving stamina and not on the overall development of body
Pricing
750g of Boost health drink costs you around Rs 350.
Buy Boost from Amazon right now.
6. Pediasure
Pediasure has been extremely popular in the market nowadays as it contains 37 nutrients. Pediasure is also rich in Arginine and Vitamin K2 which plays a vital role in strengthing your bones, ultimately helping in the proper growth of your child. It is the most prescribed brand by pediatricians in India as of now and comes in the most favored chocolate flavor. You can read the detailed article on Pediasure where we compare it with other health drinks.
Type of health drink – Milk based health drink
Amount of sugar per 30g – 7.35g
Number of ingredients – 13
Pros
- Pediasure focuses entirely on your kid’s overall growth and development
- Most prescribed health drink by pediatricians
- Power-packed with 37 nutrients which ultimately helps in proper growth, stronger bones and boosting immunity
Cons
- Moderate amount of sugar is present to improve the taste
- A bit costly compared to other health drinks
Pricing
1kg of Pediasure costs you around Rs 1300.
Buy Pediasure right from Amazon.
7. Amul Pro
Amul Pro is manufactured and marketed by the famous brand Amul. This health drink is relatively new in the market compared to the other brands. Amul is widely famous because of its amazing dairy products. It is a 100% vegetarian product and is made for children. This health drink is found in the chocolate flavor as of now and is hugely favored by kids. It has an amazing taste when mixed with milk and is highly nutritive.
Type of health drink – Malt based health drink
Amount of sugar per 30g – 9.8g
Number of ingredients – 11
Pros
- Fewer ingredients and more nutrients
- The best taste among all
- Highly trusted brand
- Extremely cost-effective compared to other brands
- Contains DHA essential for children
Cons
- High amounts of sugar
Pricing
500g of Amul Pro costs you around Rs 500.
Buy Amul Pro right here from Amazon.
8. Malto Vitaa
Malto Vitaa is a health drink manufactured by the brand Milkose. This health drink is not so famous because of its poor marketing strategy but actually has the potential to make it to this list. It consists of 23 vital nutrients required by a child in his/her day-to-day life. It has several flavors which include chocolate, classic, Kesar badam and Vitaa Shahi, and could be a good choice for someone who does not like the chocolate flavor. Malto Vitaa concentrates on the overall growth and development of your child and also has a good amount of protein.
Type of health drink – Malt based health drink
Amount of sugar per 30g – 5.7g
Number of ingredients – 13
Pros
- A good amount of protein along with vitamins and minerals
- Low amount of sugar
- 100% vegetarian
- Consists of 23 nutrients for your child’s proper growth and development
- Extremely budget-friendly
Cons
- The number of ingredients used is too many
- The flavors are not so good
Pricing
500g of Malto Vitaa costs you around Rs 200.
9. Patanjali Powervita
Though extremely cost-effective Powervita by Patanjali is the last on this list because of certain reasons. Patanjali is a renowned brand and is famous because of its herbal products. Patanjali claims Powervita to be a herbal health drink as well. Besides other ingredients, this health drink also contains Shatavari, Aswagandha, Brahmi Ghan and many other herbs. It is a health tonic that focuses on providing energy and boosts immunity at the same time.
Type of health drink – Malt based health drink
Amount of sugar per 30g – 21.79g
Number of ingredients – 20
Pros
- Extremely budget-friendly
- Contains herbs along with vitamins and minerals
- A great energy booster health drink for kids
Cons
- Extremely high amount of sugar is present
- May be hard to digest for kids ( Consult your doctor before giving it to your child )
Pricing
500g of Patanjali Powervita cost you around Rs 180.
Conclusion
So, here is the list of the best health drinks for kids in India. At HealthAndHealthier, we recommend Horlicks, Complan and Bournvita as the best choices for health drinks in India. Boost is another great option if your child is into regular physical sports and activities. With that being said a health drink can never be regarded as a substitute for milk or your regular food. Health drinks generally act as an addon to enhance the growth and development of your child further.
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