HorlicksMalt & Health Drink Mixes

Horlicks Classic Malt Drink Mix (No Added Sugar)

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Summary

Horlicks Classic Malt Drink Mix (No Added Sugar) is a malted wheat, barley and milk powder stirred into milk or water, with added vitamins and minerals. It scores [F]BA2: nutrition is decent, partly thanks to fortification, ingredients are clean with only natural flavours, and risk is low as made. A reasonable daily drink for most, though the naturally occurring sugar still counts.

Full summary

Horlicks Classic Malt Drink Mix (No Added Sugar)

Horlicks Classic Malt Drink Mix (No Added Sugar) scores [F]BA2 on CleanPlate: nutrition B, ingredients A, load risk 2.

The [F] flag means added vitamins or minerals lift its nutrition grade.

12%43%36%

Tap a slice or a name to see what it is made of.

Share of calories, per 100 g of powder

  • Protein: 11 g per 100 g of powder, 12% of the calories.
  • Carbs (not counting sugars and fibre): 38.9 g per 100 g of powder, 43% of the calories.
  • Sugars: 32 g per 100 g of powder, 36% of the calories, of which 0 g is added.
  • Fat: 2 g per 100 g of powder, 5% of the calories, of which 1 g is saturated.
  • Fibre: 6.1 g per 100 g of powder, 3% of the calories (fibre counts at 2 kcal per gram).
Added sugar0 g
Saturated fat1 g
Sodium175 mg

The tick is the “high” line

Load risk is scored on the product as made (mixed as the pack directs), not on the dry powder.

Watch
High sugar (32g per 100g)
In its favour
High fibre (6.1g); No added sugar
On the pack
5 claims checked: 2 hold, 1 is partly true, 2 need care

Last reviewed October 23, 2026

Ingredients, decoded

8 listed
  • Multi Cereal Mix [Wheat Flour (Atta) (26%), Cereal Derivatives, Barley Wheat]
  • Superfood Blend (30%)
    • Malted Barley (24%)
    • Millet (4%)
    • Oat Powder (1%)
    • Almonds Powder†
  • Milk Solids (14%)
  • Minerals & Vitamins
  • Edible Iodised Salt
  • Natural Flavours
  • Soy Protein Isolate
  • Acidity Regulators
    • Potassium Bicarbonate
    • Sodium Bicarbonate
High concernModerate concernLow concernNo concernIn label order. Tap a highlighted one to learn more. How we rate additives
Horlicks Classic Malt Drink Mix (No Added Sugar) pack, front view

6½ teaspoons of sugar in every 100 g of powder · 32 g total sugar, 5 g a teaspoon

FFortifiedNutrition per 100 g
BNutrition densityAIngredient integrity2Load risk
Nutrition facts
Energy358 kcal
Protein11 g
Carbohydrates77 g
Total sugars32 g
Added sugars0 g
Dietary fibre6.1 g
Total fat2 g
Saturated fat1 g
Trans fat0.1 g
Sodium175 mg
Vitamin A940 µg
Vitamin C107 mg
Vitamin D27.5 µg
Vitamin E10 mg
Vitamin B11.6 mg
Vitamin B23 mg
Vitamin B317 mg
Vitamin B56.4 mg
Vitamin B63.5 mg
Vitamin B745 µg
Vitamin B124 µg
Folic acid250 µg
Calcium741 mg
Iron26 mg
Zinc14.8 mg
Magnesium65 mg
Phosphorus280 mg
Potassium450 mg
Iodine139 µg
Selenium68 µg
Copper0.65 mg
Chloride565 mg
Highlighted values exceed FSSAI and UK FSA front of pack thresholds.

Think this score is wrong?

What to know about Horlicks Classic Malt Drink Mix

No added sugar, but 32 g of natural sugar

Horlicks Classic Malt Drink Mix is a malted drink powder built from a multi cereal mix (wheat flour atta 26%, cereal derivatives, barley wheat), a superfood blend of 30% (malted barley 24%, millet 4%, oat powder 1%, almond powder) and milk solids 14%. Added vitamins and minerals, iodised salt, natural flavours, soy protein isolate and two acidity regulators complete the list. It is bought as a daily milk-based drink, stirred into hot or cold milk or water.

Per 100 g the powder has 358 kcal, 11 g protein, 6.1 g fibre and 32 g total sugar, all of it naturally occurring, with 0 g added sugar. Three spoons, a typical serve of 27 g, give about 97 kcal, 3 g protein and 8.6 g sugar. Stirred into 200 ml of toned milk, the glass comes to about 220 kcal.

The name and front say no added sugar, and the list agrees: no sugar is listed. The pack notes that sugar there refers to sucrose and that the powder contains naturally occurring sugars. Oats and almonds on the front are small or undeclared shares of the list. CleanPlate scores it [F]BA2.

Why Horlicks Classic Malt Drink Mix scores [F]BA2

Nutrition is a B on 11 g protein and 6.1 g fibre per 100 g, helped by added vitamins and minerals. Ingredients are an A with only natural flavours as an additive, and risk is a 2 as made with milk.

How we score →
01 Nutrition densityA to E
B

Good nutrient density

Protein
11 g
Fibre
6.1 g
Vitamins and minerals
22 declared
Energy
358 kcal

01 Nutrition density: why B

Protein is 11 g per 100 g and fibre is 6.1 g, with milk solids the largest protein source. Saturated fat is low at 1 g per 100 g.

The grade also leans on fortification. Vitamins A, C, D, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, folate, calcium, iron and zinc are added, and without them nutrition would be a C rather than a B.

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.

02 Ingredient integrityA to E
A

Clean, minimally processed

Base
Multi Cereal Mix [Wheat Flour...
Sweeteners
None added
Additives
0
Flagged
None

02 Ingredient integrity: why A

Wheat flour (atta), malted barley and milk solids lead the list, which is mostly cereals and milk. The only additive-type cost is natural flavouring, a small deduction. There are no colours, preservatives or sweeteners, and no hydrogenated fat.

Nothing on the pack is a hollow promise. The no added sugar claim holds, since the pack states it refers to sucrose and that natural sugars are present.

Scored on how processed the ingredients are, which additives are used and why, and whether the label keeps its promises.

03 Load risk1 to 5
2

Low risk

Per 100 g as made

Free sugar
0 g
Sodium
59.2 mg
Saturated fat
1.9 g
Trans fat
0.08 g

Scored on the drink as made: 27 g in 200 ml of toned milk, from the pack's directions. As sold, the powder has 175 mg sodium and 0 g added sugar per 100 g.

03 Load risk: why 2

The drink is scored as prepared: 27 g of powder in 200 ml of toned milk, which is 233 g. As made it has 94.5 kcal, 1.88 g saturated fat and 59 mg sodium per 100 g, with no free sugar.

Energy is the largest part of the risk number, then saturated fat, then sodium. Free sugar is 0 g, so it adds nothing, though the powder has 32 g of natural sugar per 100 g.

Scored on free sugar, sodium, saturated fat and trans fat, each weighed by how strong the evidence of harm is.

[F] Added vitamins or minerals meaningfully lift this product's nutrition grade. Without them it would score lower.

Red flags

  • Red flag: High sugar (32g per 100g)

Green flags

  • Green flag: High fibre (6.1g)
  • Green flag: No added sugar

Does Horlicks Classic Malt Drink Mix live up to its claims?

No added sugar and the protein figure hold, though the powder carries 32 g of natural sugar per 100 g. The oats, millets and almonds on the front are small shares of the list.

  • Product name

    “No Added Sugar”

    Be careful

    True: added sugar is 0 g. The powder still has 32 g of naturally occurring sugar per 100 g, about 8.6 g per 27 g serve, and the pack notes that sugar refers to sucrose.

  • On the pack

    “Protein 11 g”

    Holds

    The panel shows 11 g per 100 g of powder, so about 3 g in a 27 g serve. Milk and soy protein are in the list.

  • On the pack

    “Almonds, Oats & Millets”

    Partly true

    Millet is 4% and oat powder 1% of the powder. Almond powder has no percentage and is marked as a natural flavouring substance.

  • On the pack

    “Clinically proven Taller, Stronger, Sharper”

    Be careful

    The claim carries an asterisk, and nothing on the nutrition panel can confirm it. The panel shows protein, calcium and added vitamins.

  • On the pack

    “No Added Preservatives”

    Holds

    No preservative is listed. The two acidity regulators, potassium and sodium bicarbonate, are not preservatives.

What's in Horlicks Classic Malt Drink Mix?

Wheat flour, malted barley and milk solids lead the list, with no colour, preservative or sweetener. The natural sugar and the fortification are what to know.

The ingredient list, read for you

Wheat flour (atta) at 26%, cereal derivatives and barley wheat make up the cereal base, and the superfood blend of 30% is mostly malted barley at 24%, with millet at 4% and oat powder at 1%. Milk solids at 14% add protein and calcium, and soy protein isolate adds more protein.

Minerals and vitamins are the fortification, iodised salt and natural flavours season it, and potassium and sodium bicarbonate are acidity regulators.

Ingredients to watch

  • Natural sugarWorth watching

    32 g total sugar per 100 g, about 8.6 g per 27 g serve, with 0 g added. It comes from the malt and milk, and the milk in the glass adds more.

  • FortificationWorth watching

    Twelve added vitamins and minerals lift nutrition from a C to a B. They are real, but they are added, not intrinsic to the grains and milk.

  • Front-of-pack extrasWorth watching

    Oats are 1% and millet 4% of the powder, and almonds carry no percentage. The superfood wording is bigger than the shares in the list.

  • Protein and fibreFine

    11 g protein and 6.1 g fibre per 100 g, so about 3 g and 1.7 g in a serve.

  • AdditivesFine

    Only natural flavours and two bicarbonate acidity regulators. No colour, preservative, sweetener or hydrogenated fat is listed.

What it doesn’t have

  • No percentage is given for almond powder, which is marked as a natural flavouring substance.
  • The pack does not print the weight of a spoon, so a serve in grams is not stated.

Who should eat Horlicks Classic Malt Drink Mix?

An everyday drink for most adults, and a few times a week for children or weight management. Anyone with diabetes should check with their doctor, given 8.6 g of natural sugar per serve.

  • Most adultsEveryday

    About 220 kcal a glass with toned milk, and low risk as made.

  • ChildrenA few times a week

    8.6 g natural sugar per serve, with 3 g protein and added vitamins.

  • Diabetes or prediabetesCheck with your doctor

    32 g sugar and 77 g carbohydrate per 100 g, about 8.6 g sugar per serve.

  • Weight managementA few times a week

    About 97 kcal from the powder, about 220 kcal with toned milk.

Horlicks Classic Malt Drink Mix: common questions

What is the CleanPlate score of Horlicks Classic Malt Drink Mix (No Added Sugar)?

Horlicks Classic Malt Drink Mix (No Added Sugar) is a malted wheat, barley and milk powder stirred into milk or water, with added vitamins and minerals. It scores [F]BA2: nutrition is decent, partly thanks to fortification, ingredients are clean with only natural flavours, and risk is low as made. A reasonable daily drink for most, though the naturally occurring sugar still counts. Nutrition B, ingredients A, load risk 2; 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 Horlicks Classic Malt Drink Mix (No Added Sugar)?

Per 100 g of powder, Horlicks Classic Malt Drink Mix (No Added Sugar) has 358 kcal, 11 g protein, 77 g carbohydrate, 2 g fat and 1 g saturated fat. Load risk is scored on the product as made (27 g in 200 ml of toned milk), which gives 59.2 mg sodium, 1.9 g saturated fat and 0 g free sugar per 100 ml.

What are the ingredients in Horlicks Classic Malt Drink Mix (No Added Sugar)?

8 ingredients, in label order: Multi Cereal Mix [Wheat Flour (Atta) (26%), Cereal Derivatives, Barley Wheat], Superfood Blend (30%) (Malted Barley (24%), Millet (4%), Oat Powder (1%), Almonds Powder†), Milk Solids (14%), Minerals & Vitamins, Edible Iodised Salt, Natural Flavours, Soy Protein Isolate, Acidity Regulators (Potassium Bicarbonate, Sodium Bicarbonate).

Does Horlicks Classic Malt Drink Mix (No Added Sugar) live up to its claims?

5 claims checked: 2 hold, 1 is partly true, 2 need care. "No Added Sugar" needs care: True: added sugar is 0 g. The powder still has 32 g of naturally occurring sugar per 100 g, about 8.6 g per 27 g serve, and the pack notes that sugar refers to sucrose. "Almonds, Oats & Millets" is partly true: Millet is 4% and oat powder 1% of the powder. Almond powder has no percentage and is marked as a natural flavouring substance.

Who should limit Horlicks Classic Malt Drink Mix (No Added Sugar)?

Most adults: everyday. About 220 kcal a glass with toned milk, and low risk as made. Children: a few times a week. 8.6 g natural sugar per serve, with 3 g protein and added vitamins. Diabetes or prediabetes: check with your doctor. 32 g sugar and 77 g carbohydrate per 100 g, about 8.6 g sugar per serve.

How much sugar, salt and saturated fat does Horlicks Classic Malt Drink Mix (No Added Sugar) have?

Per 100 g of powder, Horlicks Classic Malt Drink Mix (No Added Sugar) has 0 g added sugar, 175 mg sodium (about 0.4 g salt) and 1 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 23, 2026. Scored with the CleanPlate method from the published label. Spotted a mistake? .

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