COMMON SALT
It is now established by science that eating an excess quantity of Common Sodium Salt is not good for our health.
Excess levels of sodium salt may put you at risk for:
- Enlarged Heart Muscles
- Headaches
- Kidney Disease
- Osteoporosis
- Stroke
- Heart Failure
- High Blood Pressure
- Kidney Stones
- Stomach Cancer
Excess levels of common salt may cause increased water retention that leads to Puffiness, Bloating, and Weight Gain.
While going through today’s newspaper, I came across one item that said we Indians generally have a double intake of Common Salt when compared to the standards prescribed by various Health Bodies. Indians consume 10 to 12 grams of Salt per day, while the health standard is 5-6 grams per day. Now, the time has come for the Indians to control our salt intake. Here are a few tips to cut salt intake in your daily diet:
Mend Your Salty Habits
- Do not sprinkle salt on salad, cut fruits, cooked vegetables, or curd. Enjoy their natural taste.
- While cooking, add less salt than what you are accustomed to.
- Gradually reduce sat usage while cooking lesser to least.
- Sodium is found in many condiments besides ordinary table salt including soy sauce, salad dressings, ketchup, pickles, and papads. Use these foods moderately in your daily diet.
- Baking Soda, baking powder, and Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) also contain high sodium. Avoid using these in your daily cooking.
- Do not add salt to the dough for Chappati or Rice.
Eat Plenty of fruits and Vegetables
- Switch from salted nankeens and snacks to fresh fruits and vegetables to cut down on sodium.
- Eat Potassium-rich fruits and vegetables, they help to neutralize the effect of sodium in the body.
Stay Away from Hidden Sources of Sodium
- Avoid consumption of preserved and processed foods such as papads, pickles, sauces, ketchup, salted biscuits, chips/wafers, cheese, and salted fish are high in sodium.
- Bread, instant soups, cold cuts, and cured meats, cheese are high in sodium, so eat them occasionally.
Read Nutrition Labels
- Compare labels and choose the product with the least amount of sodium per serving.
- Know the facts- Salt/sodium-free products contains not more than 0.05 mg sodium per 100 gram for solids or 100ml for liquids. Very low Sodium product contains not more than 0.04 grams of sodium per 100 grams for solids and 100 ml for liquids. Low Sodium products contain not more than 0.12 grams of sodium per 100 grams of solids or 100 ml for liquids.
Be Intelligent while Eating out
- If possible, when eating out, ask to have your food prepared with less salt.
- Watch out for foods described using the words pickled, brined, barbecued, cured, smoked, or soy sauce. These tend to be high in sodium. Avoid them.
- Foods that are steamed, baked, grilled, poached, or roasted may have less sodium.
- Control portion sizes, when you cut calories, you usually cut the sodium too.
Keep Yourself Hydrated
- Drink 8-10 glasses of water every day, it not only helps to flush out toxins
So these are a few tips to control your salt intake, which will result in keeping your health in good condition.
Along with the above tips, you also switch over to low-sodium salts such as Rock Salt, Pink Salt, and Black Salt, which are native to India, and make a healthy option.
Salt reduction is also a cost-effective and practical approach to preventing cardiovascular disease (the foremost cause of mortality worldwide). Reduced sodium increases- the chances of low blood pressure- and decreases stroke and heart attack incidences.
For India, way ahead is
- India needs a comprehensive national strategy to curb salt consumption.
- A multi-pronged approach to engaging consumers, industry, and the government is crucial.
- Collaboration between Union and State governments is essential to combat high blood pressure/hypertension.
Waiting for your views on this blog.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
26th September 2023