The WHO recommends not to exceed 5g of salt per day, but what are the dangers of over-consumption of salt, and above all, where does it hide? This is what we will try to explain in this article.
Salt, who are you?
Salt is made up of 2 elements: chlorine and sodium, hence its name: Sodium chloride. It is especially the sodium that must hold all our attention because it tends to be too present in our diet. It is therefore important to monitor our salt intake to avoid consuming too much.
Note however that it is essential to the proper functioning of the body, so do not eliminate it completely.
The minimum physiological need for salt is around 2 grams per day, but currently our salt consumption is between 10 and 20 grams per day (in industrialized countries), which can have serious consequences for health.
Here is the daily intake recommended by the PNNS (National Nutrition and Health Plan):
- In adults: < to 5 g / day (1 tsp)
- In children: - 0 to 1 year: no addition to the diet
- 1 to 3 years old: max 1.25 g / day
- 4 to 6 years old: max 1.75 g / day
- 7 to 10 years old : max 3 g / day
- 11 to 18 years old: max 4 g / day
.
What are the dangers of excessive salt consumption?
By consuming salt excessively, you increase the risks of high blood pressure, and this has an impact on cardiovascular disease, stroke, kidney disease, ... You also increase the risk of bone demineralization, osteoporosis, of cataract, d’asthmastomach cancer, obesity, ...
Salt: beware of children!
Children are particularly susceptible to salt taste addiction, which can stimulate demand for highly salted products and become a long-term habit.
Also be aware that high blood pressure in childhood is likely to continue into adulthood, increasing the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease in later life.
Moreover, salt makes people thirsty, and its overconsumption would increase the number of sweetened drinks ingested by children and adolescents, thus playing a role in childhood obesity.
Hidden salt...
70 to 75% of the salt consumed in Europe is hidden in manufactured foods or other food industry products (cold cuts, cheeses, soups, ready meals, pizza, quiches, sauces, breads, pastries, cookies, cakes, breakfast cereals....) which makes our consumption difficult to control.
The remaining 25-30% is added during meal preparation and at the table. We have more control over this.
Why is there so much salt in industrial foods?
Salt fulfills many roles such as preserving food, controlling color (e.g. ham), flavor enhancer, masking certain primary flavors by decreasing bitterness and increasing sweetness, weighing down meat products by retaining water, increasing the sensation of thirst, which leads to an increase in the consumption of sweetened beverages, ...
How can I control my salt intake?
Studies conducted worldwide have shown that reducing salt intake by half (i.e., to 5 g/day) would reduce strokes by 24% and coronary heart disease by 18%.
What can I focus my attention on?
As mentioned above, most of our salt consumption is hidden in manufactured foods and prepared foods.
This is why it is important to pay attention to the following products: prepared meals, snacks (cookies, pastries, ...), bread, cold cuts (smoked products, cured meats, ...), dairy products such as cheese (some cheeses contain less salt. This is the case of mozzarella, ricotta, fresh cheese, ...), canned goods and jars, soups in bricks, bouillon cubes, dishes from fast food chains and other restaurants. It is therefore important to reduce our consumption of this type of product.
It is best to prepare as much of your own food and snacks as possible, working with basic products. This will let you know theexact amount of salt you are consuming.
Also, pay attention to the water you consume because from one brand to another, the amount of salt can vary considerably. To make sure your water is low in salt, choose water recommended for infants.
As for the salt added in your homemade preparations, simply replace it (totally or partially) with spices and aromatic herbs).
8 simple tips from PNNS
- Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables containing potassium which counteracts the harmful effects of Sodium, whole grain products, poultry, fish and with less added fat, red meat, sweets and sugary drinks.
- Prefer low-salt foods.
- Choose low-salt varieties of bread and/or breakfast cereals.
- Limit visits to fast food restaurants.
- In the kitchen, use aromatic herbs (fresh or dried), lemon juice and balsamic vinegar to enhance the taste of the meal. Be aware that some spice preparations and condiments also contain salt.
- Avoid placing the salt shaker at the table.
- Taste food before adding salt.
- Refer to the labels.
How about taking a few minutes to read the labels?
The salt content is not mandatory on the labels. However, sodium intake (NA) is. Please note that these two mentions are not equivalent. If you want to know the salt value of a food you have to multiply the sodium content by 2.5.
1 g Na (sodium) = 2.5 g salt
Now that you have all the keys in hand, it's up to you! And don't forget your magnifying glass.