Cooking demonstration creates ‘aha moment’ for finance director

Authority Health’s Finance Director, Neha Kasalkar, began her journey toward a healthy diet with some early challenges. As a baby, her milk was sweetened to make it more palatable, a common practice at the time. This led to some dental issues early on, which sparked her initial interest in health and wellness—and even inspired her early ambition to become a dentist.

While pursuing her demanding five-year dental program in India, Neha Kasalkar faced the common challenges of balancing intense academic pressure with personal wellness. Once an active runner and naturally petite, Kasalkar found herself with little time for regular exercise or thoughtful meal planning. Like many busy students, she often turned to convenient, ultra-processed fast food—quick options that satisfied immediate hunger but lacked proper nourishment. “At that time, my primary focus was on excelling in my studies,” she reflects. “It was an intense program, and health and nutrition, unfortunately, took a backseat.” Over time, these habits contributed to weight gain, further shaping her later commitment to a healthier lifestyle.

Although Neha Kasalkar was aware that her eating habits were not the healthiest, it was her appearance that initially motivated her to make a change after completing dental school. What began as a journey to lose weight quickly evolved into a deeper awareness of nutrition—and the hidden malnutrition often present in modern, fast-paced lifestyles. She witnessed firsthand the shift in Mumbai from traditional home-cooked meals to a growing reliance on fast food and ultra-processed options. “People are so busy with work, long commutes, and daily demands that cooking at home often takes a backseat,” Kasalkar observes. “As a result, we’re seeing a rise in chronic health conditions like diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure.” Her personal experiences fueled a lasting commitment to healthier living and a broader understanding of the critical role nutrition plays in overall health.

Kasalkar is now a busy financial professional who has similar pressures on her eating habits, but she has grown in her respect for the work that goes into maintaining a healthy diet, which now is centered around whole, minimally processed foods.

“I eat a lot of fresh vegetables, fruits, lean proteins like chicken and fish, whole grains, and healthy fats, like nuts. I’ve significantly reduced my intake of added sugars and processed foods.” And while her use of salt has been declining, it wasn’t until attending “Cooking for Kidney Health” at the Ruby Cole Community Kitchen that the idea of eliminating it altogether, or at least for the most part, hit home. The program, conducted in partnership with Project Healthy Community and the National Kidney Foundation, involved a cooking demonstration by Chef Jake.

There was a dramatic moment when Chef Jake poured a little salt into the palm of his hand, raised it up in ceremonial fashion, and sprinkled it lightly over the meal he was preparing. That’s really all you need; he told the group – enough to bring out the taste in the food. Chef Jake talked about the pervasive use of salt in all foods, especially ultra processed snack foods.

“I knew that excessive salt consumption was linked to high blood pressure, but what really surprised me was just how much sodium is hidden in everyday foods – especially in processed and restaurant meals,” Kasalkar says. “Even foods that don’t taste particularly salty, like bread, cereals, and salad dressings, can contain surprisingly excessive amounts of sodium.

“Another major realization was how salt affects more than just blood pressure. The impact on kidney function, for example, was an eye-opener. High sodium intake forces the kidneys to work harder to filter excess sodium out of the bloodstream, which over time can contribute to kidney disease and even kidney failure. I also learned that too much salt can lead to fluid retention causing bloating and swelling, which puts extra strain on the heart.”

That’s a lot to take away from a cooking demo – but that’s the point of learning about healthy cooking. It’s not about taking away taste that some may associate with salt, it’s about adding flavor with spices and different food ingredients that create satisfying and even new tastes. You’re really not going salt-free, anyway. In Kasalkar’s case, she has begun using kosher salt, which has coarser grains and doesn’t have additives like iodine and anti-caking agents.

“One of the most surprising facts I learned is that about 70 percent of the body’s salt requirement is already present in the vegetables and foods we eat – meaning we actually need very little added salt in our diet. This completely changed my perspective on seasoning food, as I realized that natural sources provide enough sodium for our body’s needs without the risks associated with excess intake.”

You’re never too old to learn healthy habits, but unhealthy habits take time to overcome. Our lifelong consumption of excess salt may require a lengthy period of adjustment. But, Kasalkar says, “our taste buds can adapt,” just not too fast. “At first, reducing salt can make food taste bland, but over time, the palate adjusts.” In a brief time, she began to taste the “sweetness of carrots, the earthiness of mushrooms” and even something as mundane as a baked potato tastes richer.

Even a health-minded person had her doubts. Skeptical at first, after a few weeks she began to notice the natural flavors come out in her meals. This revelation changed her diet – and her family’s diet – forever. Now, she notices even a small amount of salt – much less excess salt as many restaurant food contains.

Don’t expect your family to accept the salt-free way immediately. In Kasalkar’s household there was some “pushback.” The difference was noticed immediately and “there were a few complaints about the food being bland.” Experimenting with herbs, spices, and natural flavors like citrus and garlic introduced her family’s taste buds to what food actually could and should taste like.

Some recommendations from Kasalkar’s kitchen:

• Lemon juice and vinegar adds bright acidity that enhances natural flavor.
• Smoked paprika and cumin add deep, savory richness.
• Garlic and onion powder add depth without needing extra salt.
• Nutritional yeast provides a slightly “cheesy” and “umami” (a Japanese term that suggests a pleasant savory taste)
• Rosemary, thyme, and cilantro bring freshness and aroma.

A word of caution: Iodine is an essential nutrient for thyroid function. If you significantly reduce table salt, you will need to supplement the lost iodine. The good news is that “food is medicine.” Kasalkar offers these options to replace iodine from table salt:

• Seaweed (kelp, nori, wakame) – even a small amount of this will suffice.
• Dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese)
• Eggs, especially the yolk
• Fish and seafood (cod, shrimp, tuna, salmon)
• Beans and other legumes (especially navy beans and lima beans

“My mantra is simple,” Kasalkar says. “If a packaged food has more than five ingredients or contains something I can’t pronounce, I don’t consume it. This helps me stay mindful of avoiding artificial additives, preservatives, and hidden sodium.”

Dennis Archambault is the VP of Public Affairs for Authority Health