⌕ Zoom

Photo from the brand's official website

Lijjat

Udad Papad

Name: Udad Papad
Brand: Lijjat

Use in moderation SafeShelf · review pending

NOVA 3high proteinlow fatno artificial additivesno artificial coloursno preservativeslactose-freegluten-freediabetic-safeenjoy in moderation

Serving

100 g

Pack

200 g

Ingredients

Barcode

8901441011018

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 · 2 ingredients shown

Caution2 of 6 ingredients

AsafoetidaCaution

Ground Nut / Sesame OilCaution

Cleared 4▾

Udad-dal FlourCleared

Iodised SaltCleared

PapadkharCleared

PepperCleared

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.

2/2

claims fully supported

“Symbol of Woman's Strength”true

The manufacturer is Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad, a well-documented women's cooperative; the packaging logo and tagline are confirmed in rawLabelData under 'symbolOfWomansStrength'.

“Recognised by Khadi & Village Industries Commission”true

The certifications list in EXTRA INFORMATION explicitly includes 'Recognised by Khadi & Village Industries Commission', confirming this claim.

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

High plant protein — 22.5g per 100g (~28% of calories from protein)
Extremely low fat — only 0.15g total fat per 100g
Zero trans fat and negligible saturated fat
No artificial colours, flavours, preservatives, or emulsifiers
Short, recognisable ingredient list of traditional culinary components
Good source of iron (6.07 mg/100g) and calcium (108 mg/100g)

Working against

Very high sodium — 1,506 mg per 100g, far exceeding WHO's 2,000 mg daily limit in a single serving
Contains papadkhar (sodium bicarbonate), adding further to sodium load
Groundnut oil carries aflatoxin contamination risk (IARC Group 1 carcinogen); refining reduces but may not eliminate risk
Asafoetida is an abortifacient risk at non-culinary doses; avoid in pregnancy
Contains peanut (groundnut) allergen — risk for peanut-allergic individuals
Contains sesame allergen — declared major allergen in US, EU, and FAO/WHO

Who should approach with care

Pregnancy — Asafoetida has documented abortifacient and uterine-stimulating properties; combined with elevated iodine from iodised salt (where both deficiency and excess harm fetal neurodevelopment) and animal data on piperine embryotoxicity, this product carries multiple pregnancy-specific risks.

Lactation — Bioactive sulfur compounds from asafoetida may transfer into breast milk, and iodised salt may not adequately meet the elevated iodine requirements of lactating women; a clinician should assess overall iodine intake and exposure of the nursing infant.

Infants — Asafoetida is directly associated with methemoglobinemia in infants; iodised salt should be avoided due to immature renal function; and groundnut oil poses both aflatoxin and early peanut-allergen exposure risks.

Children — Children are particularly vulnerable to aflatoxin-induced liver damage from groundnut oil, and the very high sodium content is inappropriate for regular consumption in paediatric diets.

Hypertension — At 1,506 mg sodium per 100g — sourced from iodised salt and sodium bicarbonate — a single full serving exceeds WHO's daily sodium limit; this product is unsuitable for individuals on sodium-restricted diets for blood pressure management.

Kidney Disease — The combination of very high sodium (from salt and sodium bicarbonate), elevated potassium and phosphorus from lentil flour, and aflatoxin risk from groundnut oil makes this product highly unsuitable for individuals with impaired renal function.

Heart Disease — Extremely high sodium content promotes fluid retention and increased cardiovascular load; asafoetida's anticoagulant properties add additional risk for patients on antiplatelet or anticoagulant medications.

Thyroid Disease — Excess iodine from iodised salt can precipitate iodine-induced thyrotoxicosis or worsen autoimmune thyroid conditions such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis or Graves' disease; the high sodium content compounds cardiovascular burden.

Epilepsy — Ferulic acid and related compounds in asafoetida may have CNS-stimulatory effects that could theoretically lower seizure threshold in susceptible individuals; culinary amounts are low-risk but warrant awareness.

Ibs — Urad dal flour contains high FODMAP fermentable oligosaccharides; piperine in black pepper stimulates GI motility; and asafoetida's volatile compounds may irritate GI mucosa, together making this product a potential IBS trigger.

Ibd — The combined high FODMAP and fibre content of lentil flour and the GI-irritant properties of piperine may exacerbate mucosal inflammation during active IBD flares; individual tolerance varies significantly.

Gout — Lentils contain moderate levels of purines and high regular intake of urad dal flour may elevate uric acid levels, potentially triggering gout attacks in susceptible individuals.

Nut Allergy — Groundnut (peanut) oil is present and crude or unrefined groundnut oil retains allergenic proteins capable of triggering life-threatening anaphylaxis in peanut-sensitised individuals.

Liver Disease — Groundnut oil carries residual aflatoxin B1 risk — an IARC Group 1 carcinogen whose hepatocellular carcinoma risk is multiplicatively increased with pre-existing liver disease, particularly in those co-infected with hepatitis B virus.

Other — Sesame oil (a globally declared major food allergen under the US FASTER Act 2023, EU Regulation 1169/2011, and FAO/WHO) is present; individuals with sesame allergy must avoid this product, especially as cold-pressed or unrefined oil retains residual allergenic proteins.

The full analysis

Lijjat Udad Papad is a pantry staple bought by millions of Indian households as an everyday accompaniment or snack. On the positive side, it delivers an impressive 22.5g of plant protein per 100g and is made with simple, recognisable ingredients free from artificial colours, flavours, preservatives, or emulsifiers — a rare profile among packaged snacks. The single most important fact for a curious consumer: the sodium content is extraordinarily high at over 1,500 mg per 100g (equivalent to roughly 3.8g of salt), meaning a modest portion already pushes close to or past the WHO daily recommended limit of 2,000 mg sodium; anyone with hypertension, heart disease, or kidney disease should treat this as a condiment eaten in very small quantities rather than a free-eating snack.

FSSAI licence

10015022003936 / 115

Manufacturer

Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad

Region

Source

MANUAL

Analysis

Independently researched