The salt we sprinkle from our salt shakers accounts for only 10 per cent of the salt that most of us consume every day
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We often think of salt in our diet as the salt in the salt shaker on the table. There are many other sources in our daily diets, however, and if we are going to manage our salt levels in order to protect and enhance our health, we do need to consider our total salt intake.
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First, it is important to know that chemically, table salt is sodium chloride, and it is the sodium (written as “Na” by chemists) that is linked to health problems.
While some sodium is essential in order for your body to function properly, this is a mineral that you only need in small quantities as an electrolyte. Sodium enables your body to maintain a proper fluid balance. It is also involved in transmission of messages along your nervous system, as well as in muscle contraction and relaxation.
Unfortunately, most of us consume significantly more sodium than our bodies need. The recommended daily requirement ranges from 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams with an upper limit of 2,300 milligrams daily. On average, however, Canadians consume 3,092 milligrams daily with about 85 per cent of the population, including children, consuming too much sodium.
Because sodium is involved in fluid balance, if your sodium level is too high, your body can retain too much fluid, making your cardiovascular system and kidneys work harder.
Cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, stroke, heart failure and even high blood pressure can result. If you have an increased risk for these or related conditions such as diabetes, excess sodium intake can definitely impact your health.
Importantly, if you are older — this includes you 50-year olds — your body systems may not work as well as they used to, meaning sodium’s impact can be greater.
As well, some people seem to be especially sensitive to these effects and are categorized as “sodium sensitive.”
For most of us, processed foods account for 75 to 80 per cent of sodium intake, with about another 10 per cent each from naturally occurring sources and from the salt we add from the shaker when we are cooking or eating.
So… you’ve guessed it. Avoiding processed foods and not adding salt to your food will significantly reduce your sodium intake. Eating fresh foods is a good strategy.
One teaspoonful of table salt weighs about six grams and includes 2,400 milligrams of sodium. This is already more than the recommended maximum daily intake.
The alternatives are numerous and include many herbs and spices, for example lemon, garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg, mint and basil.
If you’re choosing to replace table salt with a dried seasoning, however, be sure to look for sodium as a hidden ingredient.
There are salt substitutes which replace sodium with potassium, another electrolyte with a similar flavour to sodium, but some people cannot use the potassium either, such as individuals with kidney disease.
Salt was historically used as a preservative for many foods, and it is still used today to extend the shelf-life of many processed foods. As well, adding salt contributes to the flavour of many foods, even those of poorer quality.
While avoiding processed foods may be ideal, it can be impractical. However, you can make wiser choices by reading food labels. Look both for the sodium content and also for the percentage of daily intake. Be aware of serving size too, as many people may eat a bag of potato chips, but a serving of potato chips is only six chips!
Many food product labels include information about salt and sodium. “Salt free” means less than five milligrams of sodium per serving. “Low in sodium” is used when each serving contains 140 milligrams or less of sodium, and “reduced in sodium” means there is less than 25 per cent of the sodium content of the regular product.
Again, always remember to check the serving size. In the case of “reduced in sodium,” also be sure to check the sodium content of the regular product: 25 per cent of 5,000 milligrams is still a lot of sodium.
Luckily, the taste for salt is a learned taste, so you can unlearn it, and you just might find some exciting flavours in doing so.
