Quick Answer: Check a weight gainer is genuine before you open it, in two steps. Scratch the authentication label and verify the code on our authentication page, then read the printed panel for protein per serving and per 100 g, the batch number, the best-before date and the FSSAI licence number.
A weight gainer comes in a big tub, and one tub looks much like another on the shelf. So it is worth spending two minutes checking the one in front of you before you buy it.
Most of a weight gainer’s mass is carbohydrate, so the protein figure is the one to read closely. Check the net weight too, then multiply the serving size by the servings on the label and see whether the two agree. Here’s the checklist to run before you mix a scoop.
What should be printed on a genuine weight gainer pack?
Seven things, and all of them are visible without opening the tub.
- FSSAI licence number
- Marketer's name and address
- Manufacturer's name and address
- Country of origin
- Batch number
- Best-before date
- A nutrition panel stating values per serving and per 100 g
India's labelling rules sit under the Food Safety and Standards Act. The Labelling and Display Regulations, 2020 appear along with the Licensing and Registration of Food Business Regulations, 2011. The presence of the licence number on the packaging indicates that the company is registered.
Why the manufacturer address matters
The manufacturer's address matters more than it looks. For this reason, the authentic package has a well-known manufacturer, a complete mailing address and the origin of the product.
If any one of those seven items is missing, blurred or covering a sticker, just keep the pack sealed until it passes the code check.
How do you reconcile pack weight with the declared servings?
The claimed serving size multiplied by the servings specified on the package will yield a figure very close to the net weight indicated on the container. One cannot pack fifty servings of 40 g in a 1 kg container.
Check the net weight on the tub, not the size in the listing title. Those two should agree.
Small rounding gaps are normal. A gap of several hundred grams is not, and that's worth asking about before you pay.
The sizes we sell, and the flavours in each
Our weight gainer range is sold in these sizes, and flavour choice narrows at the top of the ladder.
| Pack size | Flavours available |
|---|---|
| 1 KG | Double Chocolate, Vanilla Ice Cream |
| 2 KG | Double Chocolate, Vanilla Ice Cream |
| 3 KG | Double Chocolate, Vanilla Ice Cream |
| 3 KG with shaker | Both flavours, with a plastic or steel shaker |
| 5 KG | Double Chocolate only |
The amount of scoop decides the calculation. The GNC Pro Performance Weight Gainer is mixed with different amounts of the scoop with either 280 to 300 ml of water or milk.
How do you verify the unit itself?
Remove the label to uncover the unique authentication code. Enter that code along with your email ID and mobile number on GNC's product authentication page . The outcome indicates if that particular tub was released through GNC or simply if the brand exists.
Before getting the checks marked on the panel, there are three things worth mentioning. The condition of the panel should be preserved at the time of delivery. The scratched panel on a closed tub should raise concern. The same principle works for tubs purchased in shops as well.
Make sure to conduct the check right before the seal is broken. A combination of a verified code and an unbroken seal can serve as the most convincing proof.
On the same page, a form is provided for submitting a concern. Do not separate the tub, the label and the order details before the payment has cleared.
What should the nutrition panel actually say?
In succession, note the three numbers: protein per serving, protein per 100 g, and total carbs. A weight gainer consists predominantly of carbohydrates, as this makes sense given the use of this metric; therefore, on paper, it is the protein amount that differentiates between various products.
Use the printed panel, not the marketing copy. We state the numbers on a 5-scoop serving in double-toned milk: 2,558 calories, 98 g protein and 475 g carbs.
That works out near 1 g of protein for every 5 g of carbohydrate, which is what a gainer is. The milk counts towards those figures, so the same scoops mixed with water read lower. One scoop in 280 to 300 ml is the preparation we publish, so check which basis you are reading.
The ingredient list is the other half
With GNC, you will find maltodextrin, calcium caseinate, a blend of whey protein, several digestive enzymes, and various vitamins and minerals added as extras to the essential ingredients required to make the nutrient powder. In comparison to regular powders, how a weight gainer compares with whey protein shows that there are differences between these two formats.
What does a banned-substance test add?
Assurance for anyone who gets tested. Our weight gainer formula contains zero added sugar, artificial colours and preservatives, and it's tested for banned substances by an anti-doping laboratory, which we don't name on the pack. If you compete under an anti-doping code, that's a claim worth confirming on the pack you receive, alongside the authentication code.
What to do if the pack fails a check
Stop before you mix a scoop. Set the tub aside, keep the label and the outer packaging, and raise a concern through the form linked from GNC's authentication page.
The two factors that can facilitate the process of dealing with the issue are the batch number and a photo of the panel.
After that, reach out to the place where it was purchased.
It’s not worth the risk to mix any tub that you cannot verify.
For the wider buying checks that sit before this point, GNC's piece on how to pick protein supplements safely walks through them.
Where does a weight gainer sit in your daily food?
With meals but not in place of them.
WHO's healthy diet fact sheet lays down what such a pattern involves.
Food is where we primarily get our protein and calories.
While supplements entail a self-oriented diet, it cannot supplant it.
If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or take regular medication, consult a physician before you start any supplement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GNC Pro Performance Weight Gainer tested for banned substances?
Our weight gainer is tested for prohibited ingredients by an anti-doping laboratory, and the formula is free of added sugar, artificial colours and preservatives. We do not name the laboratory on the pack.
The above-mentioned statement applies to this weight gainer product too.
How do you check a GNC weight gainer bought offline?
Just like an order made online, you will need to scratch off the authentication label from the tub and key in your code along with your email and mobile number on the verification page of GNC . The process check will be done at the product level, which means the product can be verified regardless of where it was purchased from.
How many servings does a weight gainer pack hold?
Take the total weight and divide it by the serving size indicated on the container. For GNC Pro Performance Weight Gainer, mix one scoop with 280 to 300 ml of water or milk; the reference example uses 5 scoops.
The amount you measure depends on the size of your scoop and on the weight of the package of the product.
Does the FSSAI licence number tell you the pack is genuine?
On its own, no. The licence number identifies the food company responsible for the packing of the product according to the Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses Regulation, 2011.
It should be used along with the authentication code, the batch number, and the date of best consumption.
Where can you buy a genuine weight gainer online?
You can either go to GNC’s official website, guardian.in , or via a retailer that can give you an unbroken authentication label. However, make sure to perform the code check before opening the tub, as that step ensures that you are checking the actual unit and not the listing.
