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Haldiram's

Haldiram's Navrattan

Name: Haldiram's Navrattan
Brand: Haldiram's

Use in moderation SafeShelf · review pending

NOVA 4zero added sugarhigh sodiumcontains artificial colourultra-processedcontains palm oildiabetic-safepregnancy-safelactose-freeenjoy in moderation

Serving

20 g

Pack

1200 g

Ingredients

Barcode

8904063231802

Buy on Amazon

01 — Ingredient mix

What’s in the box, ranked from most concerning.

Each ingredient gets a tier from our researched dossier. The list sorts worst-first; the donut summarises the distribution. Tap any ingredient for its full dossier.

Caution · 6 ingredients shown

Caution6 of 18 ingredients

Edible Vegetable Oil (Palm, Palmolein, Ground Nut and Rice Bran)Caution

PeanutsCaution

Rice FlakesCaution

Black SaltCaution

Spices & Condiments (Red Chilli Powder, Turmeric Powder, Black Pepper Powder, Ginger Powder, Cumin Powder, Clove Powder, Nutmeg Powder, Coriander Powder, Bay Leaves, Mace, Seeds Powder, Cardamom Powder, Asafoetida Leaves Powder)Caution

Synthetic Food Colour (INS 133)Caution

Cleared 12▾

Gram Pulse FlourCleared

CornCleared

Lentil (Dhal)Cleared

PotatoesCleared

Tapioca BeansCleared

Rice PowderCleared

Edible StarchCleared

Spinach PowderCleared

Iodised SaltCleared

Acidity Regulator (INS 330)Cleared

Anticaking Agent (INS 551)Cleared

Natural Flavouring SubstancesCleared

02 — Claims audit

Every label claim, fact-checked.

We treat each claim as a question — does what’s inside back it up? Tap a claim for the reasoning.

0/2

claims fully supported

“20% Extra”misleading

Net weight is listed as 1200 g (1 kg + 200 g = 20% extra over 1 kg), which would make the claim numerically correct; however, the back label states '1 kg + 50 g Extra' while the front states '1 Kg + 200 g', creating an unresolved label discrepancy that undermines confidence in the declared bonus quantity.

“Relish the Goodness of Delightful Savoury Taste”unverified

A purely subjective sensory and lifestyle marketing statement; no nutritional, ingredient, or certification data in any source can objectively verify or falsify taste claims.

03 — The fuller picture

Read the whole thing if a one-line verdict isn’t enough.

What’s in favour, and what’s working against it

In favour

Zero sugars and zero added sugars confirmed on label
Meaningful pulse protein from gram flour and 16% lentil
Contains real whole spices with no artificial flavour declared
Vegetarian certified; suitable for vegetarian consumers
FSSAI licensed — product meets Indian regulatory registration requirements

Working against

Very high sodium: 798.5 mg/100 g (~40% of WHO daily limit)
Synthetic food colour INS 133 (Brilliant Blue FCF) — child overexposure risk per EFSA
Contains palm oil and palmolein — elevated saturated fat and process-contaminant (GE/3-MCPD) concerns
Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) — multiple food additives present
High total fat: 29.5 g/100 g, predominantly from frying oils
Peanuts (13%) — major allergen with anaphylaxis risk
'Seeds powder' is a non-specific ingredient with unknown safety tier
Front–back label discrepancy on pack quantity (200 g vs 50 g extra stated)

Who should approach with care

Infants — Multiple ingredients are explicitly contraindicated for infants: iodised and black salt (immature renal function cannot handle sodium load), spinach powder (methemoglobinemia risk from nitrates), mace and nutmeg (myristicin CNS toxicity at low absolute doses), asafoetida (methaemoglobinaemia risk), and chilli powder (mucosal irritation with no established safe threshold).

Children — INS 133 (Brilliant Blue FCF) may exceed EFSA's ADI at 95th-percentile intake in children; palm/palmolein oil process contaminants (GE, 3-MCPD) raise age-specific concerns; mace, nutmeg, and chilli pose dose-proportional toxicity and GI irritation risks higher in lower-body-weight children.

Pregnancy — Combination of palm/palmolein oil (genotoxic GE process contaminants), groundnut oil (aflatoxin risk), rice flakes and rice flour (inorganic arsenic exposure), high sodium from dual salts, and high-dose spices (mace, nutmeg, asafoetida with uterotonic potential) collectively warrant moderation during pregnancy.

Lactation — Iodised salt alone may not meet elevated lactation iodine requirements, and mace contains myristicin and anticholinergic compounds that may reduce lactation and transfer into breast milk at above-culinary quantities.

Hypertension — At 798.5 mg sodium/100 g, a typical 60 g snack portion delivers ~479 mg sodium — nearly a quarter of WHO's 2,000 mg/day limit — from iodised salt, black salt, and palmolein/palm oil, all of which compound cardiovascular risk in hypertensive individuals.

Heart Disease — Palm oil and palmolein (~50% saturated palmitic acid) can elevate LDL cholesterol; very high sodium intake worsens fluid retention and cardiac load; ginger and asafoetida have antiplatelet effects that may interact with cardiac medications.

Kidney Disease — High sodium (iodised and black salt) worsens fluid retention and electrolyte imbalance in impaired kidneys; gram flour, lentils, and peanuts contribute potassium and phosphorus that require restriction in CKD; spinach powder adds oxalates, further elevating stone risk.

Diabetes — Rice flakes, tapioca starch, edible starch, and potato all carry high glycaemic indices that can cause rapid postprandial blood glucose elevation; high fat from frying oils further slows but does not eliminate glycaemic impact.

Liver Disease — Peanuts and groundnut oil carry aflatoxin B1 risk (IARC Group 1 hepatocarcinogen), clove and mace can stress hepatic enzyme systems at higher intake, and chilli powder's capsaicin generates reactive metabolites via hepatic CYP2E1, all compounding risk in patients with pre-existing liver conditions.

Epilepsy — Asafoetida has documented GABAergic and adrenergic neuroactive properties that may interact with anticonvulsant medications, and mace/nutmeg myristicin has CNS-stimulant and MAO-inhibitory effects that could potentially alter seizure threshold.

Ibs — Gram flour and lentils are high-FODMAP ingredients that promote fermentation and bloating; capsaicin in chilli powder activates TRPV1 gut receptors worsening cramping; fried high-fat product overall is poorly tolerated in IBS.

Ibd — High insoluble fibre from pulses, spice-driven mucosal irritation (chilli, black pepper), sulfide compounds in black salt, and potential inflammatory response to manufactured citric acid (INS 330) can collectively aggravate IBD flares.

Nut Allergy — Peanuts (13%) and groundnut oil are both present; peanut is one of the most severe IgE-mediated allergens and even trace quantities can trigger anaphylaxis in sensitised individuals — the label itself flags 'Contains Nut'.

Gluten Intolerance — Asafoetida powder commercially contains wheat flour as a carrier (confirmed allergen hazard per FDA recall records), and gram flour is frequently produced in shared wheat-handling facilities, creating cross-contamination risk for coeliac consumers.

Gout — Lentils and spinach powder both contribute purines; standard gout dietary guidance recommends limiting legume purine load to reduce uric acid elevation and acute flare risk.

Migraine — Chilli powder (capsaicin) and nutmeg/mace (phenylpropanoid compounds and trace phenylethylamine-like substances) are recognised dietary migraine triggers in susceptible individuals.

Thyroid Disease — Excess iodine from iodised salt can precipitate iodine-induced thyrotoxicosis or worsen autoimmune thyroid conditions (Hashimoto's, Graves'), and spinach powder contains goitrogenic compounds that may interfere with thyroid hormone synthesis.

The full analysis

Navrattan is a popular multi-component namkeen bought by Indian households as an everyday snack or tea-time accompaniment. Its most useful headline: despite being pulse-rich and sugar-free, this is an ultra-processed product with very high sodium (798.5 mg/100 g — nearly 40% of WHO's daily limit in just 100 g), a synthetic food colour (Brilliant Blue FCF/INS 133) whose child exposure can exceed EFSA's ADI at high intake, and a blend of palm and palmolein oils linked to cardiovascular concerns. The protein figure (~20 g/100 g) looks impressive but is partly offset by the high fat and sodium load, and a generic 'seeds powder' ingredient cannot be assessed for safety. Frequent or large-portion consumption is best avoided by children, infants, and anyone managing hypertension, heart disease, or kidney disease.

FSSAI licence

10013051000

Manufacturer

Haldiram Snacks Pvt. Ltd.

Region

Source

MANUAL

Analysis

Independently researched