Everyone loves McCain Aloo Tikki especially children because of its taste and flavor. It is a processed food with a combination of mashed potatoes and some Indian spices that actually build its taste. Mccain Aloo Tikki has become famous because of the resemblance of its taste with the traditional aloo Tikki recipe and its quick preparation time ( about 3 minutes ). But is Mccain Aloo Tikki actually safe for health? Is Mccain Aloo Tikki healthy just like the actual traditional Aloo Tikki recipe?
Today in this article we will be reviewing McCain Aloo Tikki and will be answering all your questions regarding this product. So, let’s begin.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Potato
- Palmolein oil
- Corn flour
- Rice flakes
- Common salt
- Green chili paste
- Acidity regulator ( INS 260, INS 330 )
- Permitted preservative (INS 211)
- Corn starch
- Cumin seeds
- Onion powder
- Ginger paste
Nutritional information
100g of McCain Aloo Tikki consist of the following nutritional value
| Nutrients | Amount |
| Energy | 162.78 Kcal |
| Protein | 2.53g |
| Carbohydrate | 24.99g |
| Sugar | <0.4g |
| Total fat | 5.86g |
| Saturated fat | 3.26g |
Review
1. Fat content
The fat content in McCain Aloo Tikki is actually well maintained. In 100g of McCain Aloo Tikki, you get about 5.8g of fat which is about 1tablespoon of oil. But the saturated fat content in this product is way too much ( about 3.26g ).
2. Corn flour
Corn flour is a simple carbohydrate that may not be good for your health. You might be thinking that this is the traditional cornflour but no this is the refined corn flour which does not contain any fiber and is simple carbohydrates. The cornflour provides this product with crunchiness. Along with this rice flakes are used in this product which again provides the crunchiness.
3. Green chili paste
Green chili paste is found as an ingredient in McCain Aloo Tikki which provides this product with the flavor it needs. The green chili paste in this product is made with a combination of green chili, corn starch, water, salt, acidity regulators and preservatives.
4. Preservatives
Preservative 211 is found as a preservative in McCain Aloo Tikki. This preservative is also known as sodium benzoate and is regarded as a harmful compound for health. Studies prove that sodium benzoate has short-term and long-term effects on your health. Short-time side effects of sodium benzoate include hyperventilation, anxiety, short breathing problems, and long-term effects include cancer, heart-related problems. INS 211 is used to increase the shelf-life of the product.
5. Acidity regulators
INS-260 (Acetic acid) and INS-330 (Citric acid) are the acidity regulators found in McCain Aloo Tikki. Acidity regulators are generally used to maintain the PH value of the product as well as to increase the shelf life. Both of these acidity regulators are not harmful to health.
6. Ready in 3 minutes?
The packaging of McCain Aloo Tikki mentions its preparation time as 3 minutes. Well, if you are deep frying this processed food it actually takes less than 3 minutes to prepare it. But, if you are baking or air frying it, it takes about 14-16 minutes. It is always recommended to eat baked or air-fried items compared to deep-fried items because of the low oil intake. Shallow frying or Air frying is considered a healthier option and the taste is also not affected much in the case of McCain Aloo Tikki.
7. Taste
The taste of McCain Aloo Tikki is undoubtedly the same as the traditional Aloo Tikki. Its taste is quite tempting and actually very tasty. Especially, the crunchy test makes it really unique.
8. Potato
McCain Aloo Tikki stands with its name and is made up of 76% potatoes. The potatoes present in this product are actually genuine and this is something that I actually like about this product.
9. Palmolein oil
At the same time, the use of Palmolein oil in this food product degrades the quality of this product. Palmolein oil is actually a cheap oil that is widely available in the market. Being cheap in price, most preservative food brands use this oil in their product for maintaining the cost. Palmolive oil is stuffed with saturated fats which are not at all good for your health. Saturated fats are also known as bad cholesterol which increases the risk of developing hypertension and heart diseases in the near future. Palmolive is refined and processed way too much which allows chemicals to get mixed with the oil. These chemicals are often cancerous in nature.
Pros and Cons
Every product has some pros and cons associated with it. After summing the points mentioned in this blog the pros and cons of McCain Aloo Tikki are as follows.
Pros
- A fabulous taste
- Less oil is used in the product
- You can even bake the product or shallow fry it
- No harmful acidity regulators are used
Cons
- The usage of Palmolein oil
- A high amount of saturated fat is found
- Contains Preservative 211 which is harmful to your health
- No mention of how much salt is present in the product
Who should not consume McCain Aloo Tikki?
- People who are on a salt-restricted diet should not consume this product very often
- Diabetic patients should stay away from this product
- It is also not recommended for pregnant women
Conclusion
Surprisingly McCain Aloo Tikki is not that harmful to your health if compared to the other preserved food items available in the market. This edible product can be considered good if consumed on a monthly basis and not on a regular basis. Fast foods and preserved foods are never recommended to be taken on a regular basis. McCain Aloo Tikki can never be concluded as a healthy product but at the same time, it is also not that harmful to your health if you relish it occasionally.
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