Mccain veggie nuggets is a quick snack recipe that you can enjoy as an even snack or add as a side dish to your regular meals. Mccain has been in the preserved food market for quite a long time now and has gained popularity because of their Mccain Aloo Tikki. You can read a detailed review about Mccain Aloo Tikki in our previous article. As the name suggests Mccain veggie nuggets claim to be full of vegetables and can be treated as a healthier option. But these are claims that are made by various brands to promote their products. So, today in this article we will be reviewing Mccain veggie nuggets by analyzing the ingredients and nutrition present in it. Let’s begin.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Potato (47.91%)
- Vegetables (22.13%)
- Common salt
- Preservative INS 282
- Antioxidant INS 300
- Palmolein oil
- Batter
- Thickener INS 466
- Rice flakes
- Corn flour
- Emulsifier INS 414
- Anticaking agent INS 551
- Spices
Nutritional information of 100g Mccain veggie nuggets
| Nutrients | Amount |
| Energy | 162.78Kcal |
| Protein | 2.53g |
| Carbohydrate | 24.99g |
| Sugar | <0.4g |
| Total fat | 5.86g |
| Saturated fat | 3.26g |
| Trans fat | <0.1g |
Mccain veggie nuggets review – Analyzing ingredients and nutrients
Potato and vegetables
The first ingredient mentioned in the ingredient list is potato. Mccain veggie nuggets contain about 48% potatoes. Along with this, there are just two vegetables added in this which are the capsicum and carrot. The front part of the packaging does not mention the presence of potato whereas the backside mentions this. The first impression seems really misleading.
Preservative 282
Preservative 282 is present in Mccain veggie nuggets which is actually not harmful to your health. Their Aloo Tikki consisted of preservative 211 or sodium benzoate which is not at all good for our health. This is a great initiative taken by Mccain. Preservative 282 is safe and can also be consumed by pregnant women. This preservative is safer and cheaper than most other preservatives. Some mild side effects have been seen in children which include irritability and sleep disturbances.
Antioxidant INS 300
Antioxidant 300 also known as Ascorbic acid is actually good for our health as it contains Vitamin C. The choice of antioxidants and preservatives by Mccain in this product is perfect.
Palmolein oil
Palmolein oil as already mentioned in my previous articles is a cheap oil and contains high amount of saturated fats. Food industries generally use this oil as it is cost-effective. This oil contains high amounts of bad cholesterol. In fact, the saturated fat mentioned in the nutritional information is high (about 70% of total fat) because of the usage of this oil. Palmolein oil is a highly refined oil that is prepared by various bleaching chemicals which will definitely lead to long-term effects if you are consuming this on a regular basis.
Thickener agent 466
Thickener agent 466 also known as sodium carboxymethylcellulose is found in Mccain veggie nuggets. It is a type of fiber that is not harmful to your health. But yes if you are consuming this in high amounts it would lead to problems related to the digestive system.
Emulsifier 414
Emulsifier 414 also known as gum arabic is a type of fiber and is not at all harmful to your health. Emulsifiers are added to a food product to maintain the texture as well as improve the shelf life of the product.
Anticaking agent 551
Anticaking agent also plays a part in maintaining the texture of the product. Anticaking agent 551 used in Mccain veggie nuggets is silica mineral. There are no such studies or research till now that proves whether silica is harmful to our health or not.
Spices
The various spices found in these nuggets include onion powder, garlic powder, lemon powder, green chili flakes and salt. These are general seasonings and do not harm our health whatsoever.
Calorie and fat
1 nugget has an approximate weight value of 20g. So after proper calculation, it has been found that 1 nugget contains 32Kcal of energy which is not bad. You can consume 2-3 nuggets without consuming too many calories.
Only 1g of fat is found in 1 nugget which is not bad. But if you are deep frying these nuggets the fat content increases as the oil is soaked up due to the presence of bread crumbs and cornflour. If you are deep-frying the fat content can rise to about 5-6 grams. Also if you are having more than 2 deep-fried nuggets then the fat content is becoming extremely high.
Preparation time
The packaging of Mccain veggie nuggets mentions the preparation time as 3 minutes which is somewhat true and false at the same time. If the oil is already heated up it can take about 3 minutes. But the entire process takes about 6-9 minutes. Also, not everyone prefers deep-fried, so if you are baking or frying it, it would take more than 15 minutes to prepare this recipe.
Conclusion
Overall occasionally you can relish Mccain veggie nuggets but on a regular basis, it’s a big NO. Although it is not such an unhealthy product compared to other preserved food products available in the market, still, a controlled portion is the key always. The product also contains salt, so people with kidney-related issues, liver-related issues and heart-related problems should avoid it. The saturated fat content in this product is also high. But to be frank, I am amazed by the choice of emulsifier, preservatives and antioxidants by Mccain veggie nuggets and if compared to other preserved products in the market Mccain veggie nugget is a far safer option.
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