Food startup Heartful Flavours offers salt-free sauce powders in packets that replicate favourite Asian dishes without compromising on taste.
Asian cuisine is unique because of its condiments and sauces. However, pantry staples such as soy sauce, oyster sauce and fish sauce are high in sodium.
In 2023, a report from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicated that the global average sodium intake of adults was 4,310 mg/day, or 10.78 g/day of salt. This is more than double the WHO recommendation of less than 2,000 mg/day of sodium, or less than 5 g/day of salt, meaning that a tablespoon of soy sauce would already be half of the recommended daily intake.
“Excess sodium intake is responsible for 1.9 million deaths and 45 million disability-adjusted life years each year. Our Heartful Flavours products, with a 5 Star Australian Health Rating (5 Star being the highest rating), a first in the basic meal seasoning category, and nutritionally balanced recipes on the back of pack, are the perfect solution to help health-conscious consumers eliminate excess sodium intake, support heart health and preserve their life expectancy,”​ said Rebecca Luong, co-founder of Heartful Flavors.
“I haven’t found a solution on the market yet. Even if you take a low-sodium soy sauce, it still has some 1,000 mg per 100 grams. Our product has less than 120 mg per 100 grams. There’s a very big difference.”​
Tasty without sodium ​
A registered dietitian with a doctorate in heart and metabolic health, Luong explained that sodium occurs naturally in many types of foods, so our bodies don’t need extra salt in the form of seasonings like sauces and condiments. She also said it only takes one to four weeks for our taste buds to become conditioned to accept less salty foods.
“It’s all about education and awareness. Our taste buds can adapt to less sugar, which means you can do the same with salt,”said Luong.
However, she acknowledged that food is an important part of Asian culture, which motivated her to seek out healthier alternatives that honor Asian flavors.
Yeast, along with herbs and spices such as onion and garlic, are key ingredients in Heartful Flavours’ meal staples including Thai Green Curry, Korean Bibimbap and Vietnamese Pho. These dishes were showcased at their official launch at the Naturally Good exhibition held at ICC Sydney from 3-4 June 2024.
Luong and his co-founders, Gordon Fung and Jansen Lorbes, experimented with formulas for two years before perfecting the taste of the products. Fung and Lorbes are also well-versed in Asian cuisine and are his college classmates with backgrounds in food science.
“It’s very difficult to create Asian dishes without sauces and condiments. We’ve created many formulas using only healthy, natural, plant-based, whole-food ingredients. The final product has no added salt or sugar, and is low in sodium and saturated fat. It was really a challenge to recreate the same flavors while keeping them healthy. Yeast is important for flavor. There are also herbs, spices, fruits, and vegetables that provide natural flavor and sweetness,”said Luong.
During tasting sessions held during the Good Food Expo and in supermarkets, the meal bases received positive feedback.
“When we do tastings, it’s just the base of the meal with no added salt. I’ve had Asians try them and give them the thumbs up. And we’re not that expensive. It’s $10 AUD for a pack for four. That’s $2.50 AUD for a healthy meal per person,” ​said Luong, who noted that the meal bases contain higher amounts of premium ingredients like yeast, herbs and spices compared to other brands.
Additionally, the meal bases are quick and easy to use. The nutritionally balanced recipe suggestions on the back of the package also help reduce the mental burden of meal preparation, such as using the right ingredients to meet nutritional needs. Following the recipe suggestions, when divided between four people, each serving provides half a plate of vegetables, a quarter plate of carbohydrates, and a quarter plate of protein. They also align with healthy eating plans such as the Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diets.
At home, customers can add protein and vegetables of their choice to enhance taste. They can also try to get used to eating less salt by controlling the amount of sodium sugar added to their meal.
“You can have a teaspoon of fish sauce this week. The next week, have 3/4 teaspoon, the week after that reduce it to 1/2 teaspoon, then you can go down to 1/4 teaspoon, and finally eliminate it completely.”said Luong.
“Every other product on the market has added salt, it’s impossible to remove it, so consumers have no choice. What we offer is choice and control. Everyone can control the addition of salt, sugar and saturated fats in their diet.”​
Heartful Flavors is also ramping up its outreach efforts through social media to raise awareness about sodium overconsumption and taste bud adaptability. When asked about her expansion plans, Luong said she and her team are working on more popular Asian recipes.
“We plan to expand our product range with more flavours to continue creating the healthiest versions of our favourite cultural dishes, establishing our brand in Australia, Asia Pacific and beyond. We are open to collaborations,” said Luong.
Heartful Flavours soft-launched in the last quarter of 2023 and is taking international orders through its website. Its products are also available in independent health food stores in Australia. So far, it has taken orders from the US, UK and New Zealand. Singapore and Vietnam are also attracting some interest.
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