ALL ABOUT MAGGI AND MY VISIT TO NESTLE R & D CENTER !!!

I remember eating Maggi first time when i was some 5 year kid !! I used to love Maggi so much and it had become a part of my Sunday funday as my mom used to make the regular Masala Maggi for me every Sunday . I used to love the Maggi ad which was coming in Doordarshan seeing which i had pestered my dad to buy it for me … two kids slurping and licking the bowl of yellow maggi with contrasting colors of orange carrot , green peas had made me drool over it …. YUMM !!! ” Kele jab antakshari ..Maggi noodles Khaye sabhi.. Maggi Maggi Maggi “ . It’s almost 3 decades now and I am surprised that Maggi still continues to be my favorite anytime IN food …  This “2 minute ” noodle is a favorite among my kids too ..!! Do we need to more reasons to relish our bowl of Maggi !!! The memories attached with it is worth cherishing !!!

MY VISIT TO NESTLE R & D CENTER :

So recently when i got an opportunity to visit Nestle R & D centre at Manesar , Gurugram .. i was so excited ..after all it’s not every day you get to visit such places …a place where happiness is created on a daily basis. Being a huge fan of Maggi since decades .. it was like WOW moment to see live .. the process that goes in the making of Maggi . Apart from this I was also looking forward to get a clear insight to many myths associated with Instant noodles and was hoping that all those would be busted .

The tour started with a welcome and safety briefing by Mr. Dr. Bhat which was later taken over by Ms. Kadambini who gave  an insight to R & D India . I was amazed to know that Maggi is a 134-year-old brand and was launched to provide nourishing and affordable food for workers  . Easy to prepare and a complete nutritious soup . Since its launch .. Maggi has continuously worked to innovate principles to enhance the quality of life and contribute to a healthier future .

Post intro .. tour of the facility was indeed interesting . A walk through into various labs ( NFSI lab , NDC lab , Packaging lab etc ) , a look into the highly equipped efficient machines makes us understand brands commitment to nutrition and quality . Numerous machines and scientists carry various tests  to determine protein , carbohydrate, fat , sodium and other contents of noodles and taste maker . The whole facility is super hygienic .

The culinary cooking lab is where the actual experimentation and development of new flavors happens. Masterchef Zaheer Khan along with his team works with great passion to bring out the most authentic and flavorful taste maker . The kitchen is fully loaded with amazing collection of spices , gadgets , kitchen equipment , tools etc .

There is a separate panel which does the sensory tasting and testing . Overall i was so amazed by the way how each minute process was taken care of .. be it taste , flavors , authenticity ,  quality , hygiene …

Master Chef Zaheer Khan and his team put up yummy cheesy loaded Maggi Lasagna and wood fired pizza with different toppings … an absolute indulgence . Dil kush and tummy bhi kush .. haha … !!

I am sure you might want to ask me ” Is Maggi noodles Safe ? ” , ” Is maggi deep fried ? ”  , ” Is maggi noodles healthy ? ” , ” What testing methodology does Nestle Use  ? ” , ” Isn’t maggi high in sodium ” etc etc .. so let me throw some light to few of them based on my understandment after visiting the facility …

• How is Maggi made ??

There is a misconception that Maggi noodles cake is deep fried . But as we can see in the pic above … a MAGGI Noodles cake goes through 5 step cooking process before they are packed. At first they are steamed – very similar to the process of making Idli. Then they are baked. The 3rd step involves quick flash frying of about a minute and a half which reduces the moisture in the noodle & cooks the noodles cakes enough for them to remain stable for several months before they reach consumers. This also ensures that you can cook your MAGGI noodles in boiling water in just 2 minutes. Finally after drying & cooling the noodles are packed.

• Is Maggi Noodles Safe ?? Can it be termed as healthy food ?? Is it not a junk food ??

A balanced diet should provide approximate 50-60% of total calories in a day from carbohydrates, about 10-15% from proteins and 20-30% from fat. MAGGI Noodles for instance, strikes this balance really well. The balance between Protein, Carbohydrate and Fat in MAGGI noodles is very similar to the recommendations made by Indian Council of Medical Research. This includes even the newly launched MAGGI Oat noodles provides energy in this recommended ratio –Energy from carbohydrates (56%), protein (10%) and fats (33%). So i would say ..no single food item is healthy or unhealthy. A balanced diet, moderation and an active lifestyle is the only way to ensure good health .

• Doesn’t eating maggi frequently make one fat ???

According to ICMR recommendation on Dietary Guidelines for Indians, the total fat in the diet should provide between 20-30% of total calories. The total fat intake in the diets can go up to 50g per person per day based on the level of physical activity and physiological status.The fat content per serve (per pack) in the various MAGGI noodles is 11-13g and is well within the recommended proportions. It is about 1/5th of the total fat requirement for a person’s daily diet. Even if we compare the fat content in some commonly consumed food items – one bowl of MAGGI Noodles had lesser fat than common food items like a vegetable cheese sandwich, veg biryani, a dosa, or an aloo parantha. That sounds good .. i can enjoy my bowl of maggi without fearing about weighing scale ..

Overall i had a great experience in Nestle R & D , India . I was glad to see how Nestle works constantly to enhance quality of life and thrives to contribute to a healthier future .

To conclude .. a balanced diet is very important . Any food had in moderation , along with proper exercise and good sleep … would definitely lead to a healthy lifestyle . No food is healthy or unhealthy .. just that we have to learn to control over indulgence …Love yourself enough to lead a healthy life style … !!!