Bombay Halwa
Published
Bombay Halwa from MTR is a soft, chewy Indian sweet built on sugar and corn starch, with a little ghee and nuts. It scores EB4: nutrition is lowest because it is nearly all sugar and starch with almost no protein, ingredients hold up fairly well despite two synthetic colours, and risk is high because of the added sugar. Best kept for festivals and sharing.
Ingredients, decoded
9 listed- Sugar
- RO water
- Corn starch
- Refined palmolein oil
- Ghee
- Nuts
- Cashews
- Almonds
- Acidity regulator (INS 330)
- Mixed spices
- Colours (INS 124 & INS 110)
10½ teaspoons of sugar in every 100 g · 53 g total sugar, 5 g a teaspoon
| Energy | 301 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 1.2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 56 g |
| Total sugars | 53 g |
| Added sugars | 49 g |
| Total fat | 8 g |
| Saturated fat | 3.9 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Cholesterol | 5 mg |
| Sodium | 1 mg |
Think this score is wrong?
What to know about Bombay Halwa
A festive sweet that is nearly half added sugar
MTR Bombay Halwa is a 200 g pack of soft, chewy, starch-set sweet, sold as an Indian mithai for festivals and gifting. It is built from sugar, water and corn starch (8%), with refined palmolein oil, ghee, cashews and almonds (2.3% together), citric acid, mixed spices and two added colours. The pack holds about five pieces of 40 g each.
Per 100 g it gives 301 kcal, 49 g added sugar, 3.9 g saturated fat and only 1.2 g protein. One 40 g piece is about 120 kcal and 19.6 g added sugar, which the pack prints as 39% of the daily value for added sugars. Sodium is 1 mg, so salt plays no part.
The pack promises no added preservatives, and the list agrees. The ghee and the nuts are real, but the nuts are 2.3% of the weight and the ghee has no declared share, listed after the palmolein oil. Two synthetic colours, Ponceau 4R and Sunset Yellow FCF, give the orange tint. CleanPlate scores it EB4.
Why Bombay Halwa scores EB4
Nutrition is an E because the sweet is nearly all sugar and starch with 1.2 g protein per 100 g. Ingredients are a B despite two colours, and risk is a 4 on 49 g added sugar per 100 g.
Very low nutrient density
- Protein
- 1.2 g
- Fibre
- Not declared
- Vitamins and minerals
- None declared
- Energy
- 301 kcal
01 Nutrition density: why E
Protein is 1.2 g per 100 g, and most of it comes from the cashews and almonds, which are only 2.3% of the sweet. The base is sugar and corn starch, which add calories (301 kcal per 100 g) and little else.
No fibre, vitamins or minerals are declared, so nothing lifts the grade.
Scored on protein, fibre and twelve vitamins and minerals, against the Codex and FSSAI "source" and "high" levels, per 100 g and per 100 kcal. Protein also has to supply at least 12.5% of the calories to count, and 25% for full credit.
Good, few concerning additives
- Base
- Sugar
- Main fat
- Refined palmolein oil
- Sweeteners
- Sugar
- Additives
- 1
- Flagged
- Palmolein, Sunset Yellow FCF
02 Ingredient integrity: why B
Sugar, water and corn starch lead the list. Ghee, cashews and almonds are real ingredients, and no hydrogenated fat is listed, so the declared trans fat of 0 g is accepted. Nothing on the front is a hollow promise.
The two added colours, Ponceau 4R (124) and Sunset Yellow FCF (110), cost ingredient points. Citric acid (330) as the acidity regulator costs none. The ghee has no declared percentage, which is a small label gap.
Scored on how processed the ingredients are, which additives are used and why, and whether the label keeps its promises.
High risk
- Added sugar
- 49 g
- Sodium
- 1 mg
- Saturated fat
- 3.9 g
- Trans fat
- 0 g
03 Load risk: why 4
Added sugar is the driver: 49 g per 100 g, about 19.6 g in one 40 g piece. That alone accounts for almost all of the risk number.
Saturated fat is 3.9 g per 100 g, under the 5 g high line, and comes from palmolein oil and ghee. Sodium is 1 mg and trans fat is 0 g, so neither adds to the risk.
Scored on free sugar, sodium, saturated fat and trans fat, each weighed by how strong the evidence of harm is.
Red flags
- −Red flag: Contains Sunset Yellow FCF
- −Red flag: High added sugar (49g per 100g)
- −Red flag: Palm oil listed
Green flags
- +Green flag: Low sodium
Does Bombay Halwa live up to its claims?
No added preservatives holds. The ghee and the cashews and almonds are real but small: the nuts are 2.3% of the weight and the ghee has no declared share.
- On the packHolds
“No Added Preservatives”
No preservative is listed. The only additives are citric acid, as an acidity regulator, and two colours.
- Retail listingPartly true
“Made with Ghee”
Ghee is in the list, but after refined palmolein oil and with no declared share. Palmolein oil is a large part of the fat.
- Retail listingPartly true
“Contains Cashews and Almonds”
Both are listed, but together they are 2.3% of the sweet, so a piece has under 1 g of nuts.
- On the packHolds
“Cereal / Starch Based Sweets”
Corn starch is 8% of the weight, though sugar leads the list and is the larger part of the sweet.
What's in Bombay Halwa?
Sugar leads the list, then water and corn starch. The added sugar and the two synthetic colours are what to watch; no hydrogenated fat is listed.
The ingredient list, read for you
Sugar comes first, then water and corn starch (8%), so the sweet is a sugar and starch gel. Refined palmolein oil and ghee give richness, and cashews and almonds (2.3% together) add texture. Citric acid balances the sweetness, mixed spices add flavour, and Ponceau 4R (124) and Sunset Yellow FCF (110) are there only for colour.
Ingredients to watch
- Added sugarConcern
49 g per 100 g, and 19.6 g in one 40 g piece. This is almost all of the risk grade.
- Synthetic colours (Ponceau 4R and Sunset Yellow FCF)Concern
Both are listed as INS 124 and INS 110, and each costs ingredient points. They add colour only.
- Saturated fatWorth watching
3.9 g per 100 g, about 1.6 g per piece, from palmolein oil and ghee. It is under the 5 g high line.
- NutsWorth watching
Cashews and almonds are only 2.3% of the sweet, so they add little protein or fibre.
- Fat quality and sodiumFine
No hydrogenated fat is listed, trans fat is 0 g, and sodium is 1 mg per 100 g.
What it doesn’t have
- No fibre, vitamins or minerals are declared on the panel.
- No percentage is given for the ghee or the palmolein oil.
Who should eat Bombay Halwa?
An occasional treat for most adults, and rarely for children or anyone managing blood sugar, since one 40 g piece has 19.6 g added sugar.
- Most adultsOccasionally
One 40 g piece has 19.6 g added sugar, and 49 g per 100 g drives the risk grade.
- ChildrenRarely
High added sugar plus two synthetic colours in a small piece.
- Diabetes or prediabetesRarely
49 g added sugar per 100 g and almost no protein to slow it.
- Weight managementOccasionally
120 kcal per piece with little protein, so it does not fill you up.
Bombay Halwa: common questions
What is the CleanPlate score of Bombay Halwa?
Bombay Halwa from MTR is a soft, chewy Indian sweet built on sugar and corn starch, with a little ghee and nuts. It scores EB4: nutrition is lowest because it is nearly all sugar and starch with almost no protein, ingredients hold up fairly well despite two synthetic colours, and risk is high because of the added sugar. Best kept for festivals and sharing. Nutrition E, ingredients B, load risk 4; nutrition and ingredients run A to E, risk runs 1 to 5, and A and 1 are best.
How many calories and how much protein are in Bombay Halwa?
Per 100 g, Bombay Halwa has 301 kcal, 1.2 g protein, 56 g carbohydrate, 8 g fat and 3.9 g saturated fat. One serve (1 piece, 40 g) has 120 kcal and 0.5 g protein.
What are the ingredients in Bombay Halwa?
9 ingredients, in label order: Sugar, RO water, Corn starch, Refined palmolein oil, Ghee, Nuts (Cashews, Almonds), Acidity regulator (INS 330), Mixed spices, Colours (INS 124 & INS 110). Flagged: Palmolein (low concern), Sunset Yellow FCF (moderate concern).
Does Bombay Halwa live up to its claims?
4 claims checked: 2 hold, 2 are partly true. "Made with Ghee" is partly true: Ghee is in the list, but after refined palmolein oil and with no declared share. Palmolein oil is a large part of the fat. "Contains Cashews and Almonds" is partly true: Both are listed, but together they are 2.3% of the sweet, so a piece has under 1 g of nuts.
Who should limit Bombay Halwa?
Most adults: occasionally. One 40 g piece has 19.6 g added sugar, and 49 g per 100 g drives the risk grade. Children: rarely. High added sugar plus two synthetic colours in a small piece. Diabetes or prediabetes: rarely. 49 g added sugar per 100 g and almost no protein to slow it.
How much sugar, salt and saturated fat does Bombay Halwa have?
Per 100 g, Bombay Halwa has 49 g added sugar, 1 mg sodium (about 0 g salt) and 3.9 g saturated fat. The FSSAI and UK FSA "high" lines are 10 g added sugar, 600 mg sodium and 5 g saturated fat per 100 g. It is high in sugar.
Last reviewed October 29, 2026. Scored with the CleanPlate method from the published label. Spotted a mistake? .
Label read on 29 October 2026, from photos of the pack. If the pack has changed since, tell us.
Score history (1)
| Date | Score | Method | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 October 2026 | EB4 | v5.0 | First scored |
Every change to this score is logged. See corrections and the method changelog.
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