All e-commerce portals in India have been asked to remove drink/beverages including Bournvita from the category of ‘health drinks’. On April 10, in the advisory issued, Rajesh Ranjan, union secretary to government of India, ministry of commerce and industry has said that it was noticed that some of the drinks/beverages including Bournvita are categorized as ‘health drinks’ on e-commerce sites, platforms.
With that many flavored, colored beverages fed to children as a must in the morning in many Indian homes has come under scrutiny. The popular malt-based drink had previously come under scrutiny in April 2023 when an Instagram video highlighting its high sugar content went viral.
There is no ‘health drink’ category
The advisory sent to all e-commerce companies states that: “National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), a statutory body constituted under section (3) of the Commission of Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act 2005 after its inquiry under Section 14 of CRPC Act 2005 concluded that there is no ‘health drink’ defined under FSS Act 2006, rules and regulations submitted by FSSAI and Mondelez India Food Pvt Ltd,” the Commerce and Industry Ministry said in an advisory to all e-commerce companies.”
‘Define what is healthy and what is unhealthy’
The GOI move has been accorded as the step in the right direction by many in the medical fraternity like Dr Arun Gupta, pediatrician and convenor of the Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest (NAPI). “Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has not defined what is a healthy drink. I suggest first define what is a healthy food, beverage and also define what is unhealthy food and beverages and provide a range. Based on that, the government can create a regulatory framework. This can benefit in terms of restricting advertisements for such products,” says Dr Gupta. He further adds that a warning label mentioning if the product has sugar, salt/sodium and unsaturated fatty acids can help in making an informed choice.
Speaking to Happiest Health, Dr Avdhesh Chandra, consultant, department of cardiology and SET (Skills, e-Learning, Telemedicine) Facility, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi says that ideally there is a need for a study to understand the health status of those who were fed with drinks like Bournvita and those who did not. “However, conducting such studies is not practically possible. I would pity parents who have been providing such beverages to children. There are many such products in the booming economy, but one must make informed choices and understand the concept of balanced diet,” says Dr Chandra.
Dr Supraja Chandrasekar, pediatric intensivist, Dhee hospital, Bangalore says that powders like Bournvita, which were given to generations of kids earlier are just sugary drinks. “Parents earlier used these powders to ensure their child drinks two glasses of milk everyday. But now we realize that it’s nutrient value is low and hence doesn’t carry any health benefit and instead is a carbohydrate, sugary drink. The way we metabolize sugar now is very different from what it was earlier as times have changed and so is our lifestyle,” says Dr Chandrasekar.
Have parents of previous generations erred by adding flavored powders to milk? “It is not that parents were doing it knowingly. Back then, the sugar from other snack categories was not so much. These days cookies, muffins, tea cakes, donuts are loaded with sugar and hence it’s getting into bad light,” says Priyanka Rohatgi, former president, Indian Dietetics Association, Bangalore chapter.
Dr Chandrasekar adds that instead of Bournvita and such drinks, parents giving their children plain milk, curds, milk with fruit, fruit shake with fresh fruits or dry fruits would be a better alternative. “The more we cut back the things that come in packaged products, the better it is. These products have come in for convenience and convenience can be a killer,” she told Happiest Health.
Energy drinks are another misnomer that bring you no energy but instead are filled with caffeine and can be addictive, adds Dr Chandrasekar.
How sugary drinks affect your health?
Consuming sugary drinks can have serious health effects on both children and adults. Ritika Dua, Delhi based nutritionist explains how it affects kids specifically:
- Unhealthy weight gain and obesity: Excessive consumption of sugary drinks can lead to unhealthy weight gain and obesity in children. Obesity is associated with various health problems, including heart disease, liver issues, diabetes, and bone problems.
- Heart disease: Sugary drinks can damage blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart disease. Damaged blood vessels can eventually lead to heart attacks.
- Tooth decay: The growth of bacteria in the mouth due to sugary drinks can destroy tooth enamel and lead to cavities. Regular consumption of sugary beverages contributes to tooth decay.
- Fatty liver: Excess sugar consumption can lead to fatty liver, where fat accumulates in the liver. A fatty liver impairs the liver’s ability to perform its essential functions.
- Type 2 diabetes: Consuming too many sugary drinks can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, where the pancreas stops making enough insulin, which is necessary for delivering fuel to cells.
Takeaways
On April 10, Government of India, ministry of commerce and industry directed the e commerce sites to remove drinks/beverages including Bournvita from the category of ‘health drinks’. The advisory further adds that there is nothing like health drink defined by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. Experts add that parents must make a conscious choice on what to be served as a healthy drink for their children keeping in mind a balanced diet.
