faq

FAQ

 

It is the only one of its kind in the world Multiple micronutrient deficiencies exist in many parts of the world, especially in developing countries like India. Salt is an ideal carrier of multiple micronutrients because it is consumed universally and in about the same quantities by everyone. Currently, salt is fortified with only one micronutrient namely iodine. Till date nobody has successfully manufactured and clinically tested a salt containing Vitamin A, iron, iodine, folic acid ,zinc and Vitamin B12, except us.
Yes the vitamins and minerals in Sundar health salt are extremely stable during storage and cooking.The stability of the different micronutrients in the harsh environment of salt is extremely difficult. For example iron needs an acidic environment for its best stability and bioavailability where as iodine is extremely unstable in an acidic environment and is stable only in an alkaline pH. Vitamin A is also extremely unstable in an acidic environment. The stability of iodine and vitamin A has been achieved by us by microencapsulating them individually in an environment best suited for their stability so that it is prevented from attack from iron or the harsh environment of salt. Vitamin B12 is also coated with substances that mask the colour of the vitamin which is magenta in colour and further encapsulated. Similarly folic acid which is yellow in colour is coated with colour masking substances and further encapsulated. The micronutrients in the multiple micronutrient fortified salt are extremely stable during storage and cooking and bioavailable and when used in daily cooking have increased the levels of these micronutrients in the blood as seen in clinical trials data which has been published in peer reviewed journals. :See Scientifically proven, “growth” and “improves the levels of micronutrients in the blood” full scientific papers for more details
No there will be no change in colour or taste of most of the food items during cooking.The multiple micronutrient fortified salt is one of the best ways to deliver multiple micronutrients to the segment of the population that suffer from micronutrient malnourishment. For this delivery system to be successful, the micronutrients have to be stable during storage and during cooking and also not discolour the food during cooking or impart any different taste to the food during or after cooking. Normally, it is iron which discolours the food during cooking or imparts a colour to the salt itself during storage. Ferrous sulphate, the iron source, has been chelated with more than one chelating agents, and biopromotars have also been added which enhance the bioavailability of the iron by maintaining the iron in an acidic environment. This chelated iron used in the multiple micronutrient fortified salt is extremely bioavailable and does not impart any colour to the salt during storage or the food when used during cooking for most of the food items. It is well known that raw banana when cooked in an iron vessel or ragi porridge when cooked in an iron vessel darkens more. Similarly there may be slight color changes for such specific food items, but in general there will be no change in the taste or color of food when Sundar health salt is used in cooking.
The fortified salt has been used during our clinical studies and social marketing in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal by rural communities and in urban communities. In Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat wheat is the staple cereal where as rice is the staple cereal in Karnataka,and Tamilnadu. It has been used in the cuisines of all the above states and has found to improve the haemoglobin content in all these areas proving that the iron from the fortified salt is bioavailable when used in diets all over the country. It has not altered the taste of the food during cooking or changed the organoleptic properties of the food cooked in all these states in India.
No. It is cooking salt enriched with vitamins and minerals. Vitamins and minerals are not drugs or medicines. Vitamins and minerals will only do good to your body and cannot do any harm. Sundar health salt can be consumed continuously for several years or decades.

National family health survey 4 done in 2015-16 shows that more than 50% of the women and children in India suffer from anaemia.
Iron tablets have a very high dosage of iron-normally about 60mg of elemental iron. Our body requires 20-30mg of elemental iron daily ranging from 20 mg for men and women to 28 mg for pregnant women. So the dosage of iron in iron tablets is easily twice or more of the daily requirement. Its purpose is to be taken for a period of about 3-4 months and it does combat anaemia. However because of the high dosage of iron, it has side effects such as gastric irritation, constipation or diarrhea, dark stools etc. Once the consumption of iron tablets are stopped, gradually over a period of few months, anaemia returns again. This method of iron delivery through tablets is called supplementation.Sundar health salt on the other hand has 10mg of iron in 10 grams of salt(the normal daily consumption of salt by people). It provides about 50% of the required daily dosage of chelated iron which has high bioavailability. This method of delivery is called fortification. Here the fortified product namely salt can be consumed for very long periods of time, even several years continuously. Since the dosage of iron is less than the daily required dosage of iron, there are no side effects such as gastric irritation, diarrhoea, constipation, dark stools etc.
Folic acid and B12 deficiencies can cause Neural tube defects and cleft palate in babies born to folic acid and B12 deficient women. Sufficient levels of B12 and folic acid are required in the very early stages of pregnancy (first few weeks) and if the pregnant woman has deficiency of B12 and folic acid at this stage, it leads to neural tube defects in the fetus. However by the time the woman discovers she is pregnant and then consumes folic acid tablets, it is too late and the damage has already been done. If Sundar health salt is consumed regularly,the women get sufficient folic acid even before conception and thus neural tube defects in the fetus can be prevented, leading to the birth of healthy babies without these births defects.Folic acid and B12 deficiencies can cause increased cardiac problems due to increased homocysteine in men. When there is B12 and folic acid deficiency, it leads to higher levels of homocysteine in the blood which causes plaque formation in the arteries leading to arthrosclerosis and heart problems. Folic acid and B12 are also needed for red blood cell formation and prevention of anaemia.
Vitamin A is responsible for functioning of the immune system. Vitamin A reduces infant death and sickness.
Severe Vitamin A deficiency causes blindness. Low vitamin A status causes night blindness. Vitamin A helps in the absorbtion of iron by the body. Vitamin A is present in greens and carrots, in the form of Beta carotene which is converted to Vitamin A by the body. Zinc is required for the conversion of beta carotene to Vitamin A and in zinc deficiency, this is compromised. Therefore zinc deficiency eventually leads to Vitamin A deficiency too. When children are sick, there is excretion of Vitamin A in the urine. This does not happen in healthy children. When there is illness such as measles, there is severe draining of Vitamin A from the body, resulting in blindness following measles.Our studies have shown that Vitamin A deficiencies are widely prevalent, Vitamin A deficiency in the blood is present in 60% of school children in the suburbs of Chennai. The vitamin A in Sundar health salt has been proven to increase the levels of Vitamin A in the blood.
Zinc is responsible for the proper functioning of the immune system.Zinc reduces the number of instances of diarrhea in children. Zinc reduces the number of instances of respiratory problems in children. Growth decreases when a child is sick. Zinc therefore significantly contributes to increase in the height and weight of children. Zinc deficiency causes stunting in children. The zinc in Sundar health salt has been proven to improve the zinc levels in the blood and improve the heights and weights of children in clinical studies.
Iodine is needed for proper mental development. In endemic iodine-deficient communities, the IQ of children is reduced by about 13 points. Iodine is needed for the thyroid gland. Iodine deficiency causes goiter. The iodine in Sundar health salt improves the iodine levels in the body and improves memory in children.
You should use Sundar Health Salt in the place of ordinary salt. Just use it in all your cooking as you would use ordinary salt. Sundar health salt has been formulated that if it is used in cooking all the meals of the family, it would provide the entire family with their daily requirements of Vitamin A, iron, iodine, B12, folic acid and zinc.
Sundar Health salt has microencapsulated micronutrients and the microencapsulation has to be broken to test the vitamins and minerals. Email us at contactus@sundarhealthsalt.in and we will give you details of the testing procedures.
Sundar health salt is the only one of its kind in the world containing not just iodine found in other salts but Vitamin A, iron, B12, folic acid and zinc. It costs just 25 paise per person per day while delivering the daily required dose of 6 micronutrients. It is therefore the most economical way of delivery of these most important 6 micronutrients. If one were to buy the same nutrients through capsules or tablets or syrups, it would cost at least Rs250-Rs300 for the entire family. You get this from Sundar health salt at just Rs 45 per month and the entire family gets its monthly requirement of all these 6 micronutrients. When you buy Sundar Health salt, you buy good nutrition, salt is free!!!