Are Biscuits Healthy?

We have all grown up consuming various biscuits that have been given to us because they were considered healthy snacks. Nowadays plenty of other biscuit types are available such as hi-fiber and mineral fortified biscuits which are not only tasty but promise the wholeness of milk and other healthy vitamins and minerals. So, let’s see if biscuits are really as healthy as they are claimed to be.

Most of the biscuits are made using wheat flour or maida. However maida is not healthy because the outer brown cover of the wheat that is rich in minerals and fiber is removed while the biscuits are manufactured. Hence eating such biscuits can lead to weight gain and not weight loss.

The biscuits are mostly prepared with the use of hydrogenated oils that contain dangerous trans-fat. This can decrease good cholesterol and increase bad cholesterol. They also increase the possibility of incurring illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes. The biscuits are also known to contain high quantum of sugar which will not fill us but only give a boost of energy. Diabetics especially have to choose biscuits containing low sugar. You can read the label and check the amount of sugar present in the biscuits before buying the same.

However this does not mean that you have to stop eating biscuits. You can see what items they replace and then decide. Biscuits must not replace fruits which is a healthier option. They can however be consumed in the place of junk food or packaged and high-salty and fried items. Biscuits are not a good source of fiber nor are they low in calories. Even those biscuits that have fiber has it in much lesser amounts than the daily requirement for fiber.

Hence vegetables and fruits are a better option than biscuits in terms of healthier foods. You can have biscuits after heavy activities or exercises. It can boost your energy because it is high in glucose. However it is not highly nutritive as a snack by itself. Hence you can have cereals or fruits along with it which can be a safer option. However while traveling you can pack some biscuits as it is a very safe and hygienic option compared to other fried or salty snack items.