Picking Kid's Health Drink

Picky Eaters… it is not just a phrase, it gives parents nightmares. I have heard so many parents out there say “My kid doesn’t eat ANYTHING”. I know how it is; Zoe has been on a no-food diet forever. We all keep on worrying about the right diet, nutrition, et al. And when we see so many advertisements on Television, boosting “Just 2 glasses are enough for your child’s daily nutrition…" You have no option but believe what they claim. You start feeling happy that you are raising stronger, healthier, sharper, brighter kids. 

Health drinks are not at all necessary, if your child is an extremely fussy eater, then you might want to opt for one of the health drinks available. Dr. Rachna Sethi, a nutritionist says, “These health drinks like Horlicks, Complan, Bournvita, more than anything else have malt in it which gives taste and flavor to milk. Other than that, these drinks are fortified with minerals like iron and vitamin C which milk lacks hence these drinks do add to the nutrition.” Another renowned nutritionist Dr. Shweta Iyengar believes “Nutritional drinks are not indispensible; these are required today because kids have become fussy about what they eat and drink. If you think your child is not getting the required nutrition for his age, these options are necessary.”

So let us have a look at the leading brands one by one and then we can compare them easily:

Horlicks:

'The Great Family Nourisher', since it has many variants:

• Horlicks for ‘Stronger Taller Sharper’ kids
• Junior Horlicks ‘Specially Formulated for Preschoolers’
• Mother’s Horlicks ‘Healthy Mothers for Healthy and Smart Babies’
• Women’s Horlicks Because your body needs it too
• Horlicks Lite Strength & Stamina

If you go by popularity, Horlicks sure emerges as the leader - Horlicks is the leading Health Food Drink in India. It is the 'Most Trusted Drinks Brand' (Economics Times Survey, 2004) in India, and it enjoys more than half of the Health Food Drink market in India.

Original Horlicks contains 27 vital nutrients and is very easy to absorb. The company claims “Horlicks Original is designed using the nutrisorb technology that helps the body absorb and utilize the nutrients in Horlicks.” It says Horlicks helps making you Stronger Taller Sharper and helps in complete all round development of the brain and body. Horlicks is a good source protein, multi-vitamins and DHA.

Junior Horlicks is positioned as “nutritional drink for kids who are fussy eaters (Ahhhhh! The word we love to HATE). Horlicks junior is manufactured in a unique process which helps complete your child in A-Z nutrients like iron, iodine, calcium, protein, and DHA.” It has twenty three vital nutrients that give your child a healthy body and is “clinically proven that it helps in brain development.” As per the company – Horlicks Junior contains Vitamin Boosters like protein, vitamin D, vitamin K… which keep your child healthy. It contains calcium and vitamin D for strong bones and growth of muscles. It is very good for your child’s digestion as well. Horlicks Junior is developed according to the WHO/FAO guidelines.

I have grown up drinking Horlicks and I believe that taste-wise Horlicks is the best. Also Horlicks has something for everyone and anyone.

Bournvita:

Tayyari jeet ki! (Preparing to win)

Variants:

• Normal Bournvita
• Bournvita Li'lChamps - Specially formulated drink for 2 – 5 year olds

Bournvita says “It is enriched with vitamin. So it helps the kids get ample nutrition to grow up fast. Bournvita helps in bringing out the goodness of calcium in milk” (You must have seen their recent TVC saying without Bournvita Doodh ka Calcium Waste). As per Bournvita it helps children attain the growth, both for their muscles and for brain.

If the labels are to be believed Bournvita is very high on Whey Protein, but there have been questions raised that the nutritional label on Bournvita Jars (wrt the Whey Protein) seem too good to be true, if you keep the price it is sold at in mind. Though research hasn’t proved this yet.

Bournvita Jar Lil Champs - formulated for the children between the ages 2 to 5. This variant of Bournvita says it “bundles 13 vitamins and 5 minerals essential to carry out the body's important metabolic functions as it contains DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) and macronutrients such as carbohydrates, protein and fat.” They stress on the power of DHA – which works wonders with milk. They also say they use very high quality of Whey Protein.

Complan: I may not have had Complan ever, but I used to love it’s TVC as a child “I’m a Complan Boy… I’m a Complan Girl”… 

Extra Growing Power with Complan

Variants:

• Complan (various Flavors)
• Complan Memory Charges – Really?

Complan has been designed for people of all age groups. It is positioned as an energy supplement where results are ‘almost’ instantaneously visible (it should be targeted against Red Bull). They claim Complan contains “tasty ingredients, this nutritious drink combine nutrition with the benefits of great taste. As its name suggests, is a complete planned nutritious diet for the young and old alike. Unlike other related powdered milk brands, Complan combines the benefits of affordability and effectiveness.”

It’s great for your little ones as it is a “milk based nutritional health beverage fortified with 34 vital nutrients in balanced proportion including 100% Milk Protein to help in better child growth. Complan is a nutrition expert in the category and its formulation is designed mainly as per Indian Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA). Complan has more than 52% Milk solids and is a leading brand in Milk Products Category. Complan is available in 7 yummy flavors that kids like- Chocolate, Kesar Badam, Pista Badam, Strawberry, Mango, Caramel and Natural. ”

The Company claims ”Complan has Extra Growing Power - Proven through a research conducted on more than 800 children in the age group of 7-12 yrs over a period of 12 months by a leading institute in Coimbatore in 2008. New Complan is an enriched version of the tested formulation.”

As per us, Taste-wise Complan will end up at the end of the chart.

Boost:

'Boost is the secret of winning energy!'

Boosts works on Celebrity endorsements – Cricket stars. The new Boost is “enriched with EnVita Nutrients - a unique scientific combination of essential vitamins and minerals that significantly improve the levels of key nutrients, important for energy metabolism to help increase stamina.”

Pediasure: The latest entrant in the Indian Market

Build Your Child's Immunity & Help Him Grow Well

Comes in 2 Flavors – Vanilla & Chocolate

Pediasure has entered India recently but they sure did enter with a bang, they have tied up with pediatrics around the country. Pediasure says “Fussy eating may lead to inadequate intake of nutrients, which over a period of time may affect a child's health and overall growth1. PediaSure with 37 vital nutrients can be your choice, as you seek to ensure adequate nutrition for your fussy eating child.” The number of mentioned nutrients are highest in the category. “PediaSure is fortified with Prebiotics and Probiotics which is clinically proven to support your child's immunity. PediaSure helps reduce number of sick days by 29% and incidence of infection by 45%.” Zoe has been having Pediasure, she is very lean but extremely active, and her growth has been good – irrespective of the very fussy eating habits. Pediasure is made for children 2 years and above. 

Pediasure is great for children who are not able to digest milk or wheat. If you see their Instructions to make it is not meant to be mixed in milk! It is supposed to be mixed with water. It says its best for lactose and/or gluten intolerant children.

 

We have made a comparative chart of these five based on the essential ingredients and price:

If we go by this chart Complan takes the lead, as far as nutrients are concerned.

Hence there is no harm in giving Health Drinks to your child if s/he is a fussy eater. Make sure you do the research well, and then pick the one you want to give your child.