Do you know that we’re regularly eating almost double the amount of our recommended salt intake?
According to the World Health Organisation, an adult should consume less than 5 grams of salt per day or no more than a teaspoon. [1]
However, the average person consumes approximately 8-9 grams of salt per day! [1] And this includes the Caribbean [2].
So what’s the problem with too much salt?
Excessive salt intake has been associated with increased risk of high blood pressure (hypertension), chronic kidney disease, stroke and heart (cardiovascular) disease.[3]
Yes, it is true we all need salt to live, but there is enough in the natural foods we eat for that. We don’t need to add excessive amounts of salt or salty ingredients.
As our salt intake increases so does the fluid in the body increase. Our heart and blood vessels have to work harder to pump this excess fluid around the body. Over time, this can cause a strain on the blood vessels causing them to stiffen and become narrow.
This can then develop into high blood pressure or hypertension or what we often refer to in Trinidad and Tobago as “having pressure”
“Having pressure” (high blood pressure) can increase the chances of having a stroke, heart failure and other detrimental health problems. [4]
It has been estimated that a reduction in salt intake by an entire Western population would reduce the occurrence of strokes by 22%. [5]
Some of the extra salt comes from table salt in cooking. High amounts of salt are also hiding in condiments like ketchup and soy sauce, salt butter, seasoning granules, and processed foods such as breads, salami, instant noodles, and cheese [4], which can often make up 75% of the salt we consume[6]. This list even includes foods such as cereals and baked goods that may be unsuspected.
So you go to the supermarket and the label says sodium and that tells you how much salt it has? Actually no. Salt is made of sodium and chloride. So the amount of salt is 2.5 times as much as the sodium listed on the label. Check out our social media for more information on how to read labels. It’s essential to understand the labels of the ingredients that we’re adding in.
There are many strategies that we can use to reduce our sodium intake.
We can start by incorporating more fresh ingredients and less processed food during the cooking process which adds flavour without the excessive table salt and salty ingredients.
Including aromatics such as garlic and ginger and herbs such as chive, chadon beni and thyme can not only liven up your dishes but also add health benefits of their own. Plant-based seasoning such as herb blends, hot spices and saffron can add the flavour and replace the salt. [7]
It may take some time for our taste buds to adapt. We may crave the excess salt at first because we’re simply used to it but if we give it time and cut out some of the salt, we start tasting the real flavour of the food that the excess salt was masking.
Follow us on Instagram @chefituptt for Tips and Tricks on how to reduce your salt intake and still keep the taste in your food!
All information provided by Chef It Up TT is a general guide but please check with your doctor for specific nutritional advice that is personalised to you and remember to follow any special diet recommended by your medical professionals if you have a health condition.