Is Bournvita Healthy for Children? Sugar Content, Ingredients & FSSAI Facts India 2026

In April 2023, a viral Instagram reel by food influencer Revant Himatsingha triggered a national controversy about Bournvita. He showed that Bournvita contained 37.4g of sugar per 100g — more sugar per gram than Coca-Cola. The FCCB (FSSAI's body) asked him to take it down. He refused. A government committee later reviewed the claim. The result: the sugar content was real.

This is not a personal opinion. This is what is on the label.

Based on the product label as of 2026:

Nutrient

Amount per 100g

Daily % (child)

37.4g

37.4g of sugar per 100g means that in a typical 2-tablespoon (25g) serving, your child is consuming approximately 9.4g of sugar — nearly 2.5 teaspoons of sugar — in one drink.

The WHO recommends that children aged 2–18 consume no more than 25g of added sugar per day total. One glass of Bournvita provides more than a third of that in a single serving.

The ingredients list (in order of quantity):

The marketing vs. reality gap: Cadbury (Mondelez) markets Bournvita as a "health drink" providing vitamins and minerals. The reality: the vitamins and minerals are real, but they are added to a base that is primarily sugar and malt extract. The same vitamins could be obtained from a balanced diet without the sugar load.

Following the 2023 controversy, FSSAI in 2024 directed manufacturers of "health drinks" to stop calling products "health drinks" unless they meet specific nutritional criteria. Bournvita was categorised as a sugar-containing beverage, not a health supplement.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry also issued advisories to school canteens to remove high-sugar malted beverages. Several states restricted sales of high-sugar beverages in school canteens.

Product

Sugar per 100g

Primary ingredient

Note: The comparison to Coca-Cola is per gram, not per serving. Bournvita is consumed in powder form at 25g per serving, mixed with 200ml milk — the sugar in the powder alone exceeds one full can of Coke.

That is a decision for you to make based on the facts. The facts are:

One serving provides 9–10g of added sugar to children already consuming sugar from meals and snacks

Children who regularly consume high-sugar beverages develop preference for sweet tastes that affects food choices lifelong

If you choose to continue, at minimum limit to one serving per day and ensure the rest of the child's diet is low in added sugar.

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