Papads and Pickles often make our bland food tasty. There are some things that you need to know about papads and pickles.

Any bland food can be made hot and spicy by adding a dash of pickle or papad. For e.g. one cannot think of eating paratha without pickle and the same goes with khichdi. Though pickles are rich in taste, they are not healthy. The main ingredients of pickles viz raw mango, lemon, amla, ginger, carrot which are extremely healthy, are converted into unhealthy ingredients because of food processing. Due to its sweet and sour tangy taste, it has always maintained its position on our dining table.

Along with pickle, papad is other condiment that Indians love. It is impossible to think about food in South India, Gujarat and Maharashtra without papad. This crisp and multi flavoured papad also has many unhealthy ingredients which are also found in pickles, thus we should avoid these foods.

Do not get trapped, when you hear of nutritional pickles or papads. There aren’t any. Due to the entire process of pickling, the nutritional value is completely depleted and there are no vitamins or nutrients left. But yes there are some probiotic pickles which are good for your health due to good bacteria in it.

Let’s see the two main ingredients used in pickles and papads which are unhealthy and so these are the main reasons to avoid Papads and Pickles:

 Oil

Oil is used as a preservative to add taste to pickles. Fruits or vegetables are chopped and soaked in oil, which protects the pickle from getting spoilt. Oil prevents the contamination of pickles by bacteria and fungi thereby increasing the shelf life of pickles. But remember consuming high amounts of oil will lead to the development of heart diseases.

This does not mean that you completely eliminate pickles from your plate, but it definitely means reducing the frequency and quantity of consumption. Remember to make your pickles and papads at home. By doing this, you are not only sure about the ingredients being used but you are also sure about the amount and type of oil being used. 

In case of papads, opt for roasted papads rather than fried papads. Also since it is home made, you can reduce the marination time and the pickled time, as it will be consumed faster.

 Salt

A high amount of salt is used for preparing pickles and papads. Salt is primarily used for seasoning and preservation. A high intake of sodium (salt) increases the risk of blood pressure, hypertension and heart disease. 

It is recommended by doctors to eat less than 1tsp of salt (around 2300 mg) in your daily food intake. Each small pickle serving adds around 300mg of salt in your daily intake. This is termed extremely high by doctors.

Remember, eating spicy papads increases acidity, constipation and gas problems. So the next time you see a jar of pickle or a plate full of your favourite papads, eat in moderation, so that you enjoy what you eat without being worried about it. These are the main reasons why you need to avoid Papads and Pickles in your diet.

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