Women's Horlicks — ENGINEERED

Munch or Dump rates Women's Horlicks by Horlics ENGINEERED — score 30/90.

A lab-built malt-and-milk powder fortified with a long vitamin and mineral stack, propped up by maltodextrin and an artificial sweetener. It's a functional supplement drink, not real food.

Why this verdict

• Maltodextrin and refined cereal solids make it a fast-digesting, high-glycemic carb base
• Sweetened with an artificial sweetener (INS 950) hiding behind 'no added sugar'
• Benefits are bolted-on fortification, not real-food nutrition
• Long lab-assembled vitamin and mineral premix reads like a supplement, not a drink

Ingredients (14)

• Cereal Extract (moderate) — Processed grain solids; refined carb base that spikes blood sugar.
• Barley (safe) — Whole grain providing fiber and B vitamins.
• wheat (moderate) — Adds the silky body; contains gluten. A simple, recognizable grain.
• Malted barley (moderate) — Malting converts starch to sugars; contributes sweetness and rapidly absorbed carbs.
• Wheat malt (moderate) — Malted grain adding readily-absorbed sugars.
• Milk Solids (safe) — Concentrated dairy solids that add protein and calcium; standard for toned milk.
• Maltodextrin (concerning) — Ultra-processed filler with a very high glycemic index; a hallmark of NOVA 4 food.
• Corn Solids (moderate) — Refined corn carbohydrate filler.
• cocoa powder (safe) — The actual chocolate, but only ~4.5% of the cookie.
• Minerals (Calcium, Iron, Zinc, etc.) (safe) — Added minerals supporting bone and blood health.
• vitamins (safe) — Added vitamin blend (B-complex, C, A); fortification on a processed base.
• Vegetable Juice Powder (safe) — Minor coloring/flavoring from concentrated vegetables.
• Salt (moderate) — Ready meals tend to run salt-heavy; watch the sodium.
• Artificial Sweetener (INS 950 / Acesulfame K) (concerning) — Synthetic sweetener used to skip sugar while keeping the product sweet; keeps the sweet-craving cycle going.