What is Ovaltine?
L"ovaltine it is a product that is part of breakfast foods, even if its use seems to be aimed more generically at the formulation of a specific drink.
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Ovaltine is a freeze-dried powder intended for instant solution in a liquid, generally consisting of water or milk. Today, the “ovaltine” brand also produces many other foods (drinks, bars, etc.), popular in Europe and around the world.
Ovaltine is based on malt extract (except for an American type, recognizable by the blue packaging), added sugar (except for the one produced in Switzerland) and whey; some varieties also contain bitter cocoa. However, we invite you to check the ingredients. on the label, as the ingredients and the consequent nutritional analysis may have changed since the last revision of the article.
“Ovomaltine” is a registered trademark of the “Associated British Foods”. It is produced by “Wander AG”, a subsidiary of “Twinings” (in Neuenegg, in the Canton of Bern, Switzerland) which in 2003 acquired the brand from “Novartis”; however, in the United States, the rights were acquired separately from “Nestlé”.
Despite being of Swiss origin, Ovaltine is also quite widespread in Italy, where its consumption is mainly associated with the baby's diet (instead of soluble coffee).
In recent years, the general consumption of ovaltine has been partially replaced by barley coffee (a different food) and cocoa powder.
In Switzerland, Ovaltine enjoys great popularity; its spread exploded in 1980, with the advertising slogan "Hesch Dini Ovo Hut scho gha?", A sort of buzzword that soon became the commercial symbol of the product.
Ovaltine: What is it Made of?
Ovaltine contains the ingredients: barley, skimmed milk powder, de-oiled cocoa, whey powder, glucose syrup, eggs (in Switzerland ONLY) and honey.
Not surprisingly, the name of Ovaltine is the result of the union: ovum (egg in Latin) e malt (English malt).
Ovaltine is ready for consumption after mixing with milk, but some prefer it dissolved in water. The considerable percentage of malt gives Ovaltine a characteristic flavor to say the least.
Swiss Ovaltine is marketed in almost 100 countries around the world, but with a recipe that is always different as it is adapted to the tastes and legislation of the consuming nations.
Ovaltine International is sweetened with granulated white sucrose (sugar) but, as anticipated, does NOT include the addition of eggs.
In Great Britain, America, Africa, South America and Asia, Ovaltine is available with a modified recipe called “Ovaltine”.
Ovaltine provides about 365kcal per 100g of powder, therefore 66kcal per recommended portion (about 18g).
The drink was originally developed as a "remedy" intended for "undernourished or generally weak" people, although the catchment area was quickly extended to the general population thanks to the concept of "healthy and nutritious" food (Getränk für die ganze Familie or "To drink for the whole family").
The brand has also developed several alternatives, which are easier to transport and consume, as well as belonging to different categories. These include: snacks ("ovo sport", "choc ovo" etc.), muesli, chocolate bars, drinks ("ovo drink"), ice creams ("Ovaltine Crunchy Cream" or "Ovomaltine Crunchy Ice) etc.
Nutritional Characteristics
Ovaltine is a sweet food, with a fairly high energy intake. The calories come mainly from carbohydrates, followed by some proteins and few lipids.
Carbohydrates should be predominantly of the simple (maltose) and / or semi-complex (maltodextrin) type. These give the food a high glycemic index, making it unsuitable for the diet for diabetes, hypertriglyceridemia and overweight; on the contrary, Ovaltine could find an interesting application in the nutrition of the athlete before the performance.
The fibers are present but in small quantities.
Nutritional values
The protein intake is difficult to assess, since there are various types of ovaltine; specifically, some require the use of eggs and others do not. In the presence of this ingredient, the peptides should be of high biological value; on the contrary, they would be deficient in some essential amino acids. In all likelihood, the values mentioned below refer to a type of ovaltine without eggs.
There is little to specify about lipids. They are quantitatively insignificant and the prevalence of fatty acids is saturated; cholesterol seems absent.
With regard to mineral salts, Ovaltine is very rich in several elements, even all those mentioned in the table: calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, zinc, copper and selenium. As regards vitamins, Ovaltine abounds in thiamine (vit B1), niacin (vit PP), riboflavin (vit B2), ascorbic acid (vit C) and equivalent retinol (pro vit A). These are probably added nutrients, but which make Ovaltine a food with properties similar to a real food supplement.
Ovaltine is suitable for all types of nutritional needs, except for:
- Subjects who suffer from some types of renal filtration decompensation (due to the high concentration of some salts)
- Vegans (while it has no contraindication towards ovo vegetarians)
- Lactose intolerant
- Celiacs
- Overweight, hypertriglyceridemic, hyperglycemic and type 2 diabetic subjects.
The average portion of Ovaltine is about 5-10g (20-40kcal).
Criticisms
The first negative observation that experts in nutrition and health address to international ovaltine concerns the quantity of simple carbohydrates in the powder (monosaccharides disaccharides).
In a statement from the "German Consumer Organization", it is stated that ovaltine contains mainly (and too many) carbohydrates (sugar, glucose syrup and honey). This also explains the high energy content of the food, which is also considered to be rather excessive.
Ovaltine cannot therefore be used as a customary drink, much less as a thirst quencher instead of water.
