One of the
most common minerals on earth, salt has been part of our diet for
centuries. It has been used extensively in many cuisines to improve the
flavor of foods. It is also the cheapest ingredient used to preserve
foods such as pickled vegetables and cured meat.
Sodium is the
major component of salt. It is essential to our health as it maintains
fluid balance in our body as well as helps our muscles, including the
heart muscle, to relax. However, when consumed excessively, sodium can
cause fluid retention in our body and contribute to high blood pressure.
Cutting down on sodium in one's diet and medication are keys to
controlling high blood pressure.
Train
Your Tongue
While it is
easy to detect high-sodium food based upon its salty taste, some people
who tongues have acquired a preference for salty food may not realize
that their diet is high in sodium. The good news is that your tongue can
be retrained gradually to become accustomed to less salty foods.
Read
Before You Buy
Reading food
labels is important to identifying foods high in sodium. Most food
packaging have in their contents a list of major nutrients, including
sodium. You can also try rely on the Healthier Choice Symbol or
manufacturers' label such as 'Reduced Sodium', 'Low in Sodium' and 'No
Added Salt' to help you choose a food produce with less sodium.
Go
Fresh
Having fresh
foods is another way to reduce your sodium intake. Compared to processed
foods,fresh product such as fruit, vegetables and meat are naturally low
in sodium. However, watch how you cook such foods as seasonings and salt
can escalate the sodium content in them.
No
Shaking and Dipping
Having a
saltshaker or soy sauce at the table is a habit that is easy to get rid
off. As the saying goes, out of sight, out of mind.
Sodium
in your everyday foods:
What you need in a
day |
2000mg |
Common Seasonings |
|
salt, 1 tsp |
2000mg |
MSG, 1 tsp |
620 mg |
Oyster sauce, 1 tsp |
345 mg |
Tomato Ketchup, 1 tsp |
114 mg |
Chili Sauce, 1 tsp |
57 mg |
Light Soy Sauce, 1 tsp |
365 mg |
Dark Soy Sauce, 1 tsp |
203 mg |
Salt-reduced soy
sauce, 1 tsp |
165-206 mg |
Salt substitutes, 1
tsp |
524-1560 mg |
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