No Indian meal is complete without the quintessential ‘Aam ka Achar’. The little pieces of lime or mango marinated in oil and various other Indian spices and salts are served along with lunch, dinner, breakfast and even snacks in India! Pickles have always been a huge favorite of us Indians throughout the ages; in fact pickles have also found a mention in the Vedic texts!
Owing to this tangy sometimes sweet or sour taste which has captivated the Indian taste buds for so long, the pickles have become a regular part of our staple diets.
With pickles enjoying so much of unbiased popularity, it is no wonder that the harmful effects of the pickle are being overlooked! Yes, your personal favorite, the tangy lime pickle is actually quite harmful to your body. Shocked? Don’t be, here’s why pickles are not healthy for us:
Indian pickles have a low nutritional value:
The nutritional value of a pickle is very low owing to the entire pickling process! The vegetable or fruits to be pickled are often diced /chopped during which the essential nutrients and vitamins are lost. Further, there is a the ‘drying out’ process done, wherein the vegetable or the fruit is coated in salt and left out in the sun to dry, this ensures that there is no ‘natural’ water left in it and the salt sets in, which helps in the preservation process of the pickle.
Bottom line, the pickling process ensures that pickle has very low nutritional value and high sodium content!
Indian pickles have high sodium content:
The excessive use of salt for seasoning and preservation is typical in Indian pickles. This excessive usage of salt increases the pickle’s sodium content to a very high level. While homemade pickles may use natural salts for pickling, it’s the commercially processed pickles which are to be avoided as they contain sodium which contains impurities such as iodine, anti-caking agents, potassium iodide and sodium benzoate.
- How will a high sodium content in my diet, affect my health?
The normal prescribed salt intake for an adult is 6 gms, but we as Indian’s are consuming a whooping 8-12 gms, by means of our daily diet! High sodium content in our diet affects our health by causing water retention and hypertension or high blood pressure. High salt content in diets is also known to reduce bone density in women!
Indian pickles contain a lot of oil:
Most Indian pickles are oily in lieu of them being marinated in oil for a long time. The oil is primarily used as a preservative as it keeps the pickles from coming in contact with moisture, which could make them go bad. Oil also acts as a barrier, protecting the pickle from the invasion of mold, fungus and bacteria.
- How does excessive oil in my diet, affect my health?
Excessive oil can increase the cholesterol levels of an individual. A recent study conducted by Centre for Science and Environment revealed that most of the cooking oils available in India contained high levels of Trans fat! These Trans fat get added to the oil during the process of hydrogenation, wherein hydrogen is added to the oil to increase its shelf life. Trans fat, greatly increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, as they increase your LDL cholesterol levels –bad cholesterol levels and reduce HDL cholesterol levels – good cholesterol. They are also known to increase the level of triglycerides.
Just like the Pickle, there’s another food item that is a big favorite amongst us Indians, The Papad! The crunchy, thin wafer life texture and its distinct taste, is what makes the Papad a must have for many of us. But did you know that this food item actually poses a lot of health risks if consumed excessively on a regular basis! Why? Here’s why:
Papad is a hidden source of salt:
Don’t let the wafer thin size of the Papad, fool you! Salt is one of the main ingredients in the preparation of the crunchy Papad. It is used primarily as a preservative and also adds to the taste.
While it is a fact, that we Indians are already consuming much more salt than the body’s required intake of sodium, we are unknowingly setting ourselves up for a variety of health risks such as high BP, water retention etc.
Spicy variety of Papad, not good:
With so many varieties of the Papad being available in the market today, filled with spices to give it that unique taste, people are spoilt for choice! But this very choice is also putting their health at risk. Spices in the Papad can be the cause of acidity, if consumed in excess.
Papad causes constipation:
While the Papad may come across as a harmless thin crunchy food item, if consumed in excess the dough used in making the Papad can stick to the intestines causing constipation or gas in some cases!
Do not fry your Papad in oil:
Regularly consuming deep fried Papad can cause an increase in your cholesterol levels, as the Papad tends to retain a lot of oil. These along with the already high levels of sodium present, in the Papad make it unsafe for excessive and regular consumption!
We Indians are fond of our food and there is no denying that! However our over indulgent taste buds are the one’s responsible for putting us at many a health risks, if we could just be cautious about what goes in the making of our food then we could cut down on many of our food related health risks! So the next time you see a jar of your favorite aam ka aachar, don't eat spoonfuls of it, just a piece or two will do.
