MTRBatters & Ready Mixes#11 of 11 in categoryRating 2.3/5

MTR Masala Upma Breakfast Mix

Red flags

  • Red flag: High sodium (1600mg per 100g)
  • Red flag: High saturated fat (6g)
  • Red flag: Contains Maltodextrin

Green flags

  • Green flag: High protein (11g per 100g)
  • Green flag: Source of fibre

Ingredients, decoded

16 listed
  • Wheat semolina (71%)
  • Ghee
  • Bengal gram splits
  • Iodised salt
  • Cashewnuts
  • Sugar
  • Curry leaves
  • Mustard seeds
  • Anticaking agent (INS 551)
  • Green chilli
  • Maltodextrin (Corn)
  • Mixed spices (0.5%)
  • Ginger
  • Acidity regulators (INS 330 & INS 334)
  • Black gram splits
  • Natural flavouring substances
ConcernWorth watchingIn label order. Tap a highlighted one to learn more.

DB5

Nutrition per 100 g
DNutritionBIngredients5Risk
VerdictPOOR
Energy414 kcal
Protein11 g
Carbohydrates64.3 g
Total sugars4.3 g
Added sugars2.8 g
Dietary fibre4.7 g
Total fat11.5 g
Saturated fat6 g
Trans fat0 g
Cholesterol0 mg
Sodium1600 mg
Highlighted values exceed FSSAI and UK FSA front of pack thresholds.

Our take

CleanPlate review

Upma mix with ghee, cashew and 1600 mg sodium

MTR Masala Upma Breakfast Mix is wheat semolina (71%), ghee, bengal gram splits, salt, cashewnuts, sugar, curry leaves, mustard seeds, an anticaking agent (551), green chilli, maltodextrin, mixed spices (0.5%), ginger, two acidity regulators, black gram splits and natural flavouring. The 160 g pack serves three.

CleanPlate scores it DB5. The D for nutrition is low: only 4.7 g fibre per 100 g and little else credited; its 11 g of protein earns no credit because it is under 2.75 g per 100 kcal. The B for ingredients reflects a mix of whole and refined ingredients (led by wheat semolina, ghee and bengal gram splits), with additives that cost points: silicon dioxide. The 5 for risk comes mainly from sodium (1600 mg per 100 g) and saturated fat (6 g per 100 g).

Claims vs reality

What the pack says, checked against the ingredient list and nutrition panel.

  • On the pack

    “Source of dietary fibre”

    Holds

    4.7 g per 100 g is above the 3 g source line.

  • On the pack

    “No added preservatives”

    Holds

    No preservative is listed; the additives are an anticaking agent and two acidity regulators.

  • On the pack

    “Goodness of grain”

    Be careful

    Semolina (71%) is refined wheat, not whole grain; the 4.7 g of fibre per 100 g is modest.

How DB5 breaks down

Each grade is scored on its own. Here are the label numbers behind each one, per 100 g.

How we score →
01 Nutritional valueA to E
D

Low nutrient density

Protein
11 g
Fibre
4.7 g
Vitamins and minerals
None declared
Energy
414 kcal

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.

02 Ingredient & label integrityA to E
B

Good, few concerning additives

Base
Wheat semolina
Main fat
Ghee
Sweeteners
Sugar, Maltodextrin
Additives
3
Flagged
Maltodextrin

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

03 Risk nutrients1 to 5
5

Very high risk

Added sugar
2.8 g
Sodium
1600 mg
Saturated fat
6 g
Trans fat
0 g

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

A closer look

Does the label add up?

Wheat semolina 71%, ghee, bengal gram splits, iodised salt, cashewnuts, sugar, curry leaves, mustard seeds, anticaking agent (551), green chilli, maltodextrin, mixed spices 0.5%, ginger, acidity regulators (330, 334), black gram splits and natural flavouring.

Per 100 g: 414 kcal, 11.5 g fat of which 6 g saturated, 4.3 g sugar of which 2.8 g added, 4.7 g fibre, 11 g protein, 1600 mg sodium. Read from the back-of-pack image (small print, ingredients confidence low). The promo card shows a different recipe (semolina 75%, interesterified fat, no ghee or cashew) and the listing text (391 kcal, sodium 1159 mg) matches that one; the pack back, which carries the only nutrition panel, is used here. Dry mix as sold; serving 50 g, about 3 per pack.

Ingredients to watch

  • SodiumConcern

    1600 mg per 100 g of dry mix, about 800 mg in a 50 g serve.

  • Saturated fatWorth watching

    6 g per 100 g, mostly from the ghee.

  • Sugar and maltodextrinWorth watching

    2.8 g of added sugar per 100 g plus maltodextrin.

  • Fibre and proteinFine

    4.7 g of fibre and 11 g of protein per 100 g.

Common misconceptions

Myth: "Upma mix is a light breakfast"

A 50 g serve is about 207 kcal before any oil or vegetables are added.

Myth: "Ghee and cashews make a mix healthier"

They are real foods, but they come with 6 g of saturated fat and 1600 mg of sodium per 100 g.

How often, and how

  • Healthy adultsOccasionally
  • ChildrenRarely
  • Diabetes or prediabetesLimit

Smarter ways to eat it

Add vegetables

Stir in carrots, beans or peas for fibre and volume.

Skip extra salt

Taste before adding salt; the mix already carries most of it.

Common questions

Is MTR Masala Upma Breakfast Mix healthy?

MTR Masala Upma Breakfast Mix scores DB5 (Poor) on CleanPlate, which makes it best kept as a rare treat rather than a regular buy. The main concerns are: High sodium (1600mg per 100g); High saturated fat (6g); Contains Maltodextrin. On the plus side: High protein (11g per 100g); Source of fibre.

What does the DB5 score mean?

The first letter (D) grades nutritional value: low nutrient density. The second letter (B) grades ingredient and label integrity: good, few concerning additives. The number (5) grades risk nutrients (sugar, sodium, saturated fat): very high risk.

Which ingredients in MTR Masala Upma Breakfast Mix should I watch?

Maltodextrin (Corn) (Maltodextrin).

Last reviewed October 10, 2026. Scored with the CleanPlate method from the published label.

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