Vigilance! The possible dangers of excessive salt intake
Salty foods can be found in unexpected locations. Find out where it is, and learn how much salt we need to be eating.
There’s plenty of information on salt, but the information can be unclear. We’re told not to eat too much, and then watch chefs and bakers on TV add salt to their recipes. We’ve put together a straightforward guide to handle the salt content in your diet.
How much salt is it recommended to consume?
Adults (and children who are 11 or over) need to consume less than 6g of sugar per day. This is a teaspoonful of level. Children younger than 11 should get only half of that. Babies should not have any whatsoever.
Salt is really bad for you?
Salt is vital to our lives, but in very small quantities. It’s also crucial in bringing the flavor of food items. Therefore, it’s not a matter of getting rid of salt entirely Just making sure that you don’t have to many – or even too little.
The most significant issue in salt consumption is it can trigger high blood pressure that is a major cause of strokes, and a significant risk of coronary heart attack.
Another analysis of 13 studies revealed that consuming an extra 5g of salt a day led to an increase of 17% in the risk of cardiovascular disease in general along with a 33% higher risk of having a stroke. *
Studies have also proven that consuming less than 3g of protein per day may result in worse health outcomes for individuals that consume 4 to 5 grams!
As always, it’s about balance and staying to the recommended amount except if you suffer from a specific health issue and you’ve been given specific instructions from your GP.
How to cut down on the amount of salt you consume.
If all your food was cooked at home, avoiding excess salt is simple – you’d just be aware of how much salt you added to your food. There are many ways to enhance the flavor of your food without the use of a lot of salt, such as garlic, herbs, and a variety of exciting spices, or simply a salt with a low sodium content.
However, for the majority of people most people, 75% of salt that we consume comes from processed foods consumed in our daily lives. Therefore, we need be aware of the foods we consume regularly without noticing the amount of salt they contain.
Where is the salt hidden?
Here are some processed food items to look out for.
The most well-known enemies
There are numerous foods that are naturally salty and taste salty, making them easier to recognize and avoid. They include bacon and other salted meats such as hard cheese Soy sauce, yeast extract salty nuts, stock cubes and crisps.
The infamous offenders.
A lot of the classic offenders, such as breakfast foods, cereals, and meat sausages have responded to negative publicity about the high sodium content, and have reduced salt levels – sometimes by up to 50 percent. It’s essential to read the labels for foods that which you eat frequently.
The latest dangers
Foods like ready-meals and processed snacks are the most harmful offenders.
Vegetarian foods
As veganism and vegetarianism become more and more popular, demand for products that are not meat-free is growing. But many of these items attempt to add extra flavor with high amounts of salt. Examples include Quorn sausages, which contain 1.1g of sodium per sausage as well as certain sausage rolls made from vegan ingredients.
‘Healthy’ snack foods
Other food items that are supposedly healthy such as falafels, houmous and olives. Certain olives from the past had 5g of salt per 100g, which is nearly double what is in the seawater. **
Meat substitutes.
An earlier study conducted by Action on Salt focussed on 157 meat substitute products sold in supermarkets. The results were shocking. The Deli of Tofurky’s Slices Hickory Smoked contained 3.5g of sodium per 100g. Tesco Meat Free Bacon Style Rashers had 3.2g of salt for 100g.
Additionally, it was discovered that a lot of these items contained more salt than the meaty counterparts they were replacing it was apparent that the amount of salt in the food varies drastically between the same foods from different supermarkets or brands. Meat-free mince showed huge differences in salt content ranging from up to 83% in supermarkets.
How can you be certain of the amount of salt you consume.
In the case of the salt content of processed foods there’s only one method to know what you’re eating. That’s to look at the label! Even if you’ve tried the same food from another brand before or believe it’s safe, first check. Also, whenever possible limit your consumption of processed food to an absolute minimal amount. Add lots of homemade food and a well-balanced diet as well as your sodium intake will be no problem anyhow.