By Dr. Jamuna Prakash, Food Consultant and Former Professor, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Mysore
Salt sits at the heart of Indian cooking. It defines the taste of dals, curries, chutneys, pickles, snacks, papads, and everyday vegetable preparations. In most homes, it is added by instinct rather than measurement.
This routine, however, has consequences. While sodium, the main mineral in salt, is essential for normal body function, its excess, when consumed regularly, places pressure on the kidneys. When the body retains fluid, blood volume increases, and consequently, the blood pressure rises.
Over time, high blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
High blood pressure has many causes, but sodium remains a key factor we can change
India’s hypertension burden is significant. The latest NFHS-6 data shows prevalence at 19.4% among adult women and 22.1% among adult men. Based on mid-2026 population estimates, this amounts to about 98.2 million women and 118.2 million men. The actual number may be higher because many cases remain undiagnosed.
Urban prevalence is about 5.75% higher than rural prevalence. Kerala, Punjab, Goa, and Karnataka are among the states with higher levels.
Hypertension has several drivers. Body weight, low physical activity, age, and genetic predisposition all contribute. Diet remains one of the most important modifiable factors.
Foods naturally contain sodium. In Indian diets, the larger source is table salt. Salt contains about 40% sodium, which means every gram contributes nearly 400 mg of sodium. Also, nearly 85% of this is estimated to come from meals prepared at home, mainly through salt added during cooking. Accompaniments such as pickles, chutneys, sauces, and papads, despite being eaten in small quantities, add more, with many of them containing 4–10% salt.
Packaged foods are another source that can contribute substantially depending on frequency of use. Instant noodles and soups may contain 1,200–1,600 mg sodium per 100 g. Fried snacks and chips may contain 700–1,000 mg per 100 g. Sauces and ketchups can exceed 1,000 mg per 100 g. FSSAI permits 5–6% salt by weight in oil-based pickles and 8–12% in brine-based pickles.
Average salt intake in India is estimated at 10–12 g per day, more than double of the desirable intake of 5 g. Some states report even higher intake. Tripura is estimated at about 14 g per day, influenced by fermented fish products, pickles, and sodium-rich alkali
cooking agents such as chakwa. Kerala is around 12–13 g per day, with contributions from salted fish, sun-dried foods, papads, coconut-based gravies, and heavy seasoning. Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh are around 11–12 g per day, linked largely to pickles, chutneys, and salted snacks. Punjab is estimated at 10.5–11.5 g per day, with breads, dairy, bakery products, and strong seasonings adding to intake.
Reducing sodium is easier when we build flavour alternatives
Saltiness is an acquired taste, which means that a sudden reduction can make food seem incomplete. This affects acceptance, especially among older adults, where poor taste may lead to lower food intake.
There are several strategies to mitigate sodium intake. Households can reduce salt gradually so that taste preferences adjust over time. Low-sodium salt substitutes may help some consumers, though potassium-based substitutes are unsuitable for people with certain heart or kidney conditions. Label reading can support better choices in packaged foods, provided consumers have the awareness and time to compare products.
Cooking practices can also help. Spices, souring agents, roasting, grilling, and fermentation can build flavour in lower-salt foods. Indian cuisine already uses these techniques widely.
A broader solution lies in reformulation.
Reformulation can lower sodium without compromising the Indian palate
Reformulating foods is another approach to lower sodium intake. Some natural foods have the ability to enhance flavor of foods, such as tomatoes, mushrooms, cheese, soya sauce, chicken, etc. That is because they contain glutamate - a type of amino acid, which elicits ‘umami taste.
Umami, one of the five basic tastes, imparts a slight savory taste along with enhancing natural flavor of any dish to which it is added. Originally seaweed extract and fish were used to enhance the flavor of foods with umami, especially in Japanese cuisine. At present, a well-known approved seasoning, monosodium glutamate (MSG), is used extensively for this, as it can impart similar flavor at a much lower concentration and is very easy to use in everyday cooking. To amplify the ‘salty taste’, foods can be reformulated replacing a portion of salt with a pinch of MSG. While this is traditionally used in Japan, this can be applied to Indian cooking as well.
Indian meals, which are eaten with dals, curries, gravies, chutneys, snacks, and other accompaniments, carry much of the salt in the diet and are suitable candidates for reformulation.
Research from the University of Mysore has shown that traditional Indian dishes such as curries, gravy-based preparations, sautéed vegetables, sambar, and dals can be prepared with reduced salt and a small amount of MSG. The findings indicate sodium reduction of nearly 20–40% while maintaining palatability.
The evidence is strengthened by recent work from CSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru. Scientists tested Indian foods across categories including biryani, sambar, gravies, snacks, and baked products. Salt and MSG levels were optimised through repeated trials. The study reported sodium reductions of 22–35%.
The dishes were evaluated using established sensory protocols. Both trained panellists and consumer groups found them acceptable.
Which means that reduction is more likely to succeed when taste is protected. MSG is also compatible with spice-led cooking. Indian food relies on layered flavour: heat, aroma, sourness, texture, fat, and savoury depth. A small amount of MSG can support this structure, while allowing salt levels to be reduced.
The way forward is to make sodium reduction practical, affordable and acceptable
Reducing dietary salt intake is the most effective and cost-efficient public health strategy to directly lower national hypertension prevalence and reduce disease burden. Low sodium diets can prevent the onset of hypertension in normal people, whereas in people with high blood pressure, the effect is much more pronounced, with significant positive impact. Hence, reformulating diets for low sodium can be a way forward towards healthy eating, and additives like MSG can support the process.
