Tang Lemon instant mix review – Is it the worst instant drink mix?

Tang is an instant drink mix that is extremely popular in India because of its amazing refreshing taste and quick to prepare nature. It has a gentle refreshing taste infused with Vitamin A, B, C, and Iron. It comes in various flavors including lemon, orange and mango. Children, as well as adults, love the taste of Tang Lemon, especially in the summer season.

So today in this article we will be reviewing tang lemon by analyzing its ingredients, nutritional value and will be comparing them with the claims made by the company. The orange, as well as the mango flavor of tang, is very similar to the lemon one. Some minute changes such as preservatives, and added colors may differ. Let’s begin. 

Tang Lemon instant mix review – Analyzing ingredients and claims

Sugar 

The first ingredient mentioned on the packaging of Tang is sugar. As I have always mentioned in my previous health product reviews that the first ingredient mentioned on the packaging is always the main ingredient present in the product. Tang is indeed a type of squash and contains about 93% of sugar which is extremely high. 1 serving of Tang (15g Tang) contains about 14g of sugar. Your daily requirement of sugar is around 20-25 grams and consuming 1 serving of Tang once a day fulfills your 75% daily requirement of sugar. This is quite shocking as too much sugar on a regular basis is always a big no. 

Nutritional information of Tang lemon (per serving 15.3g)

1 serving of Tang provides you with 60Kcal which is not high to be precise. But the problem lies in the source of calories. These are empty calories that will make your blood sugar high. 

It is a type of squash that does not contain any fat or protein. I have already mentioned about the high sugar content in this instant drink. 

The sodium content is also not that high if you are consuming 1 glass of Tang. 

Other vitamins and minerals such as Folic acid, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B12 and iron have been fortified. 1 glass of Tang fulfills only 5% of your daily folic acid requirement, 0.8% of your daily Vitamin A requirement, 7% of your daily Vitamin C requirement, 0.4% of your daily Vitamin B12 requirement and 11% of your daily iron requirement. If combined all together, to be precise, drinking Tang won’t help you drastically in fulfilling your daily vitamin and mineral requirements. 

Pricing

The 75g small pack of Tang costs you around Rs 30. You can make 5 glasses of tang with this small pack. Approximately, 1 glass of tang costs you around Rs 6 which is actually very less. More importantly, tang is also easy to prepare. Just open the pack, mix it with water and you are good to go. 

Acidity regulator 330 

Acidity regulator 330 is a type of synthetic citric acid. This acidity regulator is added in Tang to maintain the pH of the product. Acidity regulator 330 is safe for kids as well as adults.

Amount of actual lemon

The packaging of Tang is filled up with pictures of lemons which makes us believe that the instant drink is filled up with the goodness of lemons. But this is nothing but a marketing strategy as Tang lemon only contains 0.9% of lemon fruit powder. The lemony taste that we get while drinking Tang is not because it contains lemon but because of flavoring agents inserted in the product artificially. 

Anticaking agent

An Anticaking agent is generally added to a product to prevent the formation of lumps and increase the shelf life. Anticaking agent 341 is also known as tricalcium phosphate. This anticaking agent is 100% safe for your kids and does not cause any side effects. 

Sweetener 960

Sweetener 960 also known as Stevia is added in Tang Lemon. I couldn’t understand the usage of stevia in this product, especially when this product is already filled up with sugar. Stevia is 100% safe for kids as well as adults. 

Stabilizers

Stabilizers 415, 466 and 1400 are found in Tang Lemon. Stabilizers are generally added to a product to improve the texture of the product. 

Stabilizer 415 also known as xanthan gum is not harmful to our health. 

Stabilizer 466 also known as carboxymethyl cellulose is also considered safe for our health if not over-consumed. Overconsumption of stabilizer 466 can lead to diarrhea, constipation and bloating. 

Stabilizer 1400 is nothing but modified starch which is again safe for our health. 

Food color 171

Food color 171 is also known as titanium oxide. Titanium oxide is added in Tang to make the powder look brightish in nature. Titanium dioxide is not considered good for our health. In fact, EFSA has mentioned the fact that overconsumption of titanium dioxide can damage our DNA. In fact, the WHO has also added that titanium dioxide can cause cancer in our body. So I don’t understand the fact why Tang added this food color especially when this instant drink mix is consumed more by children.

Tang Lemon Final Review

So overall Tang contains nutritive value but the amount is very less. If you are taking a balanced diet Tang won’t provide you with additional benefits. If asked about my opinion, Tang is a big no from my side, especially for children. It is better to provide homemade sikanji or Glucon D than Tang to your children. In fact, even Nestea is better than Tang. Tang contains a harmful color that is never recommended for children and is extremely high in sugar content.