Avoid too much salty foods-food tips (India)

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Salt, or sodium chloride is important for our health, but many of us unwittingly consume far more than we should. Many people avoid putting salty foods or cooking to keep their salt intake down there, but the majority of salt (approximately 75%) that we consume is already present in processed foods such as bread, breakfast cereals, cakes and ready meals. A high salt intake is associated with high blood pressure and heart problems. It is also linked to stomach cancer and osteoporosis.

How much salt should be in our food?
The Food Standards Agency says that adults should consume no more than 6 g of salt per day. Recommended for children is very less and will vary depending on age (click here (opens in new window) for more information). Salt can be listed as salt or sodium on the product's nutritional information. A high salt content is more than 1.5 g salt per 100 g (or 0.6 g sodium). A low salinity is 0.3 g salt or less per 100 g (or 0.1 g sodium). Sodium is an essential nutrient required by the body to maintain the levels of liquids and provide channels of nerve signaling. Sodium deficiency is rare, however, can occur in people after excessive vomiting or diarrhea, in athletes who ingested large amounts of water, or in people who regularly fast on juice and water. Over-consumption of sodium is much more common and can lead to high blood pressure which in turn leads to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. The current daily percentage value for sodium is 2400mg; The American Heart Association recommends that people with high blood pressure eating less that 1500 mg per day or less than 3/4 of a tablespoon of salt. Because sodium is required of all life to exist, it is naturally present in all foods and rarely ever need salt added. Steps you can take to ensure low sodium eating include: to avoid canned food, avoid pickled food, choose low-sodium cheeses and substitute other spices instead of salt.

High salt foods-bread

Manufacturers are working to reduce the salt in their bread, but most commercial breads are still quite high in salt. If you are like many people, you have toast for breakfast and a sandwich for lunch, you may be consuming half your daily quota of salt at lunch time based on salt levels in some bread. For a child, this may be more than their daily recommended salt intake.

White beans

Baked beans are a staple of the great British fry up yet full of salt, meaning that you will be well on your way to your salt daily requirement if you have beans on toast with bacon. Many manufacturers make low-sodium white beans is a good option, or you can also try making your own with haricot beans and fresh tomatoes.

Soy sauce, other sauces and dressings

Soy sauce is added commonly to East Asian cooking, and now comes in low sodium varieties recommended, check facts nutrition of specific products for the sodium content. A tablespoon of Tamari (soy) soy sauce contains 335mg (14% DV) and a teaspoon of Shoyu (wheat and soy) soy sauce contains 282mg sodium (12% DV). In addition to soy sauces, be sure to check the labels on most sauces and dressings in General, because these foods can be surprisingly high in sodium.

Salami, Bacon and cold cuts.
Salt has long been used as a preservative for meat, and so it is not surprising to find a large amount of sodium in them. One slice of bacon (8 ounces) contains 194mg sodium (8% DV), while a slice of salami (10 g) contains 226mg (9% DV), and 1 large piece of beef jerky (20 g) contains sodium 443mg or 18% DV.

Limit salt intake in your daily diet and lead a healthy life. You can check out India Food Network website for more food tips and great recipes.

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