Nutrition Diet: What makes a biscuit unhealthy?

October 22, 2025 •

5 min read

According to the American Medical Association, ultra-processed foods account for over half of the daily caloric intake for many adults, with products like biscuits being a major contributor. This heavy reliance on processed snacks raises a critical question: what makes a biscuit unhealthy and how does it impact our overall diet and well-being?

Quick Summary

Commercially produced biscuits are often loaded with harmful ingredients such as refined flour, excessive sugar, unhealthy fats, and preservatives. These components contribute to a high calorie count with minimal nutritional value and can increase the risk of chronic health conditions.

Key Points

Refined Flour: Most biscuits are made with refined wheat flour (maida), which is stripped of fiber and nutrients, causing blood sugar spikes.
High Sugar Content: Conventional biscuits contain large amounts of refined sugar and harmful sweeteners like high-fructose corn syrup, contributing to weight gain and chronic disease risk.
Unhealthy Fats: Many use hydrogenated vegetable oils (trans fats) or high levels of saturated fats from palm oil, negatively impacting cardiovascular health.
Artificial Additives: Preservatives, flavor enhancers (like MSG), and artificial colors are common, potentially contributing to health problems and addictive eating patterns.
Empty Calories: Biscuits provide calories from unhealthy fats and sugars but lack essential nutrients, offering little nutritional value.
Associated Health Risks: Regular consumption is linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and dental issues.
Healthier Alternatives: Substituting biscuits with fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, or whole-grain crackers offers better nutrition and promotes overall health.

The Hidden Dangers in Your Favorite Snack

Many people view biscuits as a harmless snack, but a closer look at their nutritional profile reveals a collection of ingredients detrimental to health when consumed regularly. While convenient and satisfying, most commercially produced biscuits offer little more than empty calories, lacking essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Understanding the specific components that contribute to a biscuit's unhealthy nature is crucial for making informed dietary choices.

The Problem with Refined Flour (Maida)

Refined flour, commonly labeled simply as "wheat flour," is the primary ingredient in most biscuits. The refining process strips the wheat grain of its bran and germ, removing the majority of its fiber and key nutrients. What remains is a starchy endosperm that offers little nutritional value. Consuming refined flour can lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar levels, similar to eating pure sugar, which can increase the risk of metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes over time. For children, the lack of fiber can also contribute to digestive issues like constipation.

Excessive Sugar Content and Hidden Sweeteners

Biscuits, particularly the sweet varieties, are laden with refined sugars. While the sweetness is a key part of their appeal, excessive sugar intake is linked to weight gain, dental problems, and an increased risk of chronic diseases. Many manufacturers also use cheaper alternatives like high-fructose corn syrup and invert sugar syrup to enhance flavor and prolong shelf life. These sweeteners are even more easily absorbed by the body, causing rapid insulin spikes that can lead to obesity and heart disease. Even biscuits marketed as "digestive" or "healthy" can contain significant amounts of added sugar.

Unhealthy Fats: The Culprits for Heart Health

Fats are essential for giving biscuits their desirable texture and mouthfeel, but the type of fat used is critical. Many manufacturers use hydrogenated vegetable oils, also known as vanaspati, which contain high levels of trans fats. Artificial trans fats are particularly harmful, raising bad (LDL) cholesterol and increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Even without trans fats, many biscuits rely on saturated fats from palm oil or butter, which can contribute to poor cardiovascular health when consumed excessively.

Artificial Additives and Preservatives

To extend shelf life, enhance flavor, and improve appearance, biscuits are often filled with artificial additives and preservatives. These chemicals, such as emulsifiers and monosodium glutamate (MSG), can build up toxins in the body over time. MSG is a known taste enhancer that can trigger addictive eating patterns, causing people to crave more of the same product. For sensitive individuals, these additives can also cause allergic reactions or digestive issues. The long-term effects of consuming these synthetic compounds are still a subject of research, but caution is warranted.

Why Biscuits Offer Empty Calories

One of the main reasons biscuits are considered unhealthy is their status as "empty calorie" foods. This means they provide high amounts of energy in the form of calories from sugar and fat but contain minimal to no essential nutrients. This lack of fiber, vitamins, and minerals means that while a biscuit might provide a quick energy boost, it fails to provide the sustained nourishment that nutrient-dense foods offer. This can lead to nutritional deficiencies if biscuits regularly replace healthier options in a person's diet.

Health Risks of Overconsumption

Regularly eating large amounts of biscuits, especially those high in sugar, unhealthy fats, and refined flour, is linked to a range of health issues:

Obesity and weight gain: High caloric density and poor nutrient profile make biscuits a major contributor to weight gain.
Type 2 diabetes: The high glycemic index of refined flour and sugar causes frequent blood sugar spikes, increasing the risk of insulin resistance.
Cardiovascular disease: Saturated and trans fats can raise harmful cholesterol levels, contributing to heart problems.
Poor dental health: The high sugar and carbohydrate content promote bacterial growth, leading to cavities and tooth decay.
Inflammation: The highly processed nature and unhealthy fats can contribute to chronic inflammation in the body.

Making Healthier Snack Choices

For those seeking alternatives, there are plenty of wholesome snacks that provide true nutritional value and sustained energy. Whole grains, fruits, nuts, and yogurt are all excellent choices. Here are some practical swaps to consider:

Swap a biscuit with a piece of fruit: Provides natural sweetness, fiber, and essential vitamins.
Swap a sweet biscuit for whole-grain crackers with cheese or hummus: Offers more protein and fiber to keep you full longer.
Swap cream-filled biscuits for plain yogurt with berries: Delivers probiotics, protein, and antioxidants.
Swap highly processed biscuits for a handful of unsalted nuts or seeds: Rich in healthy fats and fiber.

Comparison Table: Standard vs. Healthier Biscuit


Feature	Standard Biscuit (e.g., Cream/Chocolate Biscuit)	Healthier Biscuit (e.g., Whole Grain Oat Biscuit)
Primary Ingredient	Refined wheat flour (Maida)	Whole wheat, oats, or millet flour
Sweetener	High refined sugar, corn syrup	Natural sweeteners like dates, jaggery, or honey
Fat Type	Hydrogenated vegetable oil, palm oil (high in saturated fat)	Cold-pressed oils or ghee (healthier fats)
Nutritional Value	Empty calories; low in fiber, vitamins, and minerals	Contains more fiber, protein, and micronutrients
Additives	Artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives	Fewer to no artificial additives; simpler ingredient list
Calorie Density	Often very high, providing poor satiety	Generally lower, offering better satiety due to higher fiber content

Conclusion

What makes a biscuit unhealthy is not a single factor but a combination of highly processed ingredients, including refined flour, unhealthy fats, excessive sugar, and a host of artificial additives. These components contribute to a product that is high in calories but low in nutritional value, posing significant health risks when consumed frequently. By understanding the specific drawbacks of conventional biscuits and opting for more wholesome, nutrient-dense alternatives like fruits, nuts, or whole-grain crackers, you can make healthier choices that support your overall health and well-being. While moderation is key, recognizing the inherent issues with heavily processed snack foods is the first step towards a more balanced diet.

Authoritative Outbound Link to the WHO's 'Healthy Diet' fact sheet provides authoritative guidance on balanced eating principles.

Frequently Asked Questions

Eating biscuits every day can lead to excess calorie intake from sugar and unhealthy fats, increasing your risk of weight gain, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, and dental problems due to their low nutritional value.

While digestive biscuits are marketed as healthy and contain some fiber, many brands are still high in added sugar, saturated fats, and calories. They should still be consumed in moderation, and healthier whole-food snacks are generally a better option.

Refined flour has had its fiber and nutrients removed, which means it is quickly broken down into sugar in the body. This causes blood sugar spikes and provides empty calories without the benefits of whole grains.

While not all biscuits contain trans fats, many manufacturers use hydrogenated vegetable oils or margarine, which can be a source of these unhealthy fats. Some countries have banned or restricted artificial trans fats, but it is always best to check the label for 'hydrogenated oil'.

Empty calories refer to the energy (calories) in biscuits that come primarily from sugar and fat, but are lacking in essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber. This provides energy without contributing meaningfully to your nutritional needs.

To reduce biscuit consumption, focus on having healthier, filling snacks readily available. Good options include fresh fruit, a handful of unsalted nuts, whole-grain crackers with cheese, or vegetable sticks with hummus.

Yes. The high sugar content in biscuits can cause rapid blood sugar spikes followed by crashes, which can lead to fatigue, irritability, and mood swings. Nutrient-poor snacks also fail to provide sustained energy, leaving you feeling tired sooner.