Consume Less Salt

 

Salt common is a substance, chemically consisting mainly of sodium chloride (NaCl), used extensively as a condiment and preservative. It is the biggest source of sodium in our diets and it’s this sodium that’s the problem in relation to blood pressure. While we do need some sodium in our diet to help regulate fluid in the body, it’s unusual for us not to get enough  and only too common for us to have too much.

Common types of salt and how to use them

What types of salt should you be using, and when? The differences matter a lot in the kitchen .

Coarse salt.

Coarse salt simply refers to a large-grained salt crystal. Therefore, it can be both a sea salt or a mined salt. It tends to retain less moisture, so caking doesn’t occur, even without the introduction of anti-caking agents.

When to use it: Coarse salt should be kept in a grinder and used as a finishing salt. It is also ideal for salt crusts on meat or for curing fish when you are looking for a salt that is slower to dissolve.

Kosher salt.
Kosher salt is a coarse-grained flaky salt. It’s a favourite with chefs because it’s easy to pinch and handle, and it has no additives (like iodine) or anti-caking agents. Also, it’s generally less pungent than table salt and dissolves easily. Note: The granules are much flakier and larger than table salt, therefore you can’t use them interchangeably. Their saltiness is only comparable in weight, but not in traditional kitchen measurements (therefore there is less salt in a tsp of kosher salt than in a tsp of table salt).

When to use it: Kosher salt is an excellent finishing salt — to sprinkle on your dishes for last-minute seasonings. Kosher salt is also the preferred salt for brining, curing and often pickling, as it doesn’t contain iodine. Iodine can react negatively with certain foods, so it is best to avoid iodized salts when prese

 Table salt  

 This is the one most  common type of salt and the one mostly used in home kitchens. Sourced from salt mines, it is then refined and most minerals removed. Anti-caking agents are added to prevent clumping, as is iodine, a nutrient not always naturally present in salt. In terms of taste, it is suggested that the refinement process strips the salt of its desirable flavour, leaving a blander by-product.

When to use it: The benefits of table salt are its consistency in saltiness, as well as its refined size, which makes it easy to measure. Table salt easily dissolves and is ideal for baking. The general rule of thumb is that baking recipes call for table salt, and other salts should not be used as a substitution.

Sea salt.

Sea salt refers to unrefined salt that is sourced from — appropriately — the sea. It is collected by the evaporation of sea water. The lack of refinement in sea salt means that it will still contain traces of other minerals — which some suggest enhances the flavour of the salt. Although often thought to be a healthier alternative to table salt, by weight, both contain the same level of sodium chloride. 

When to use it: If you prefer the flavour of sea salt to table salt, then you can use them interchangeably (as long as you can find a sea salt with a very fine grain). Alternatively, sea salt can be used in a salt grinder as a finishing salt.

Effect of salt in the body

Many of us eat too much salt. This can lead to raised blood pressure, which puts you at an increase risk of health problem, such as heart disease and stroke. Cutting down on salt will keep your healthier and younger and it is not as hard as you may think. High intake of salt can also lead to:

• Cardiovascular disease: This includes  coronary artery disease, the condition that is responsible for most heart attacks.

• Kidney disease: The kidneys are particularly sensitive to salt intake. And what’s more, kidney disease makes it even harder for your body to maintain the right sodium and fluid balance.

• Autoimmune diseases: This one is still a matter of debate . But there is some early evidence to suggest a connection between high salt intake and autoimmune disease

 How do i cut down on salt  intake.   

A few simple steps can help you to cut your salt in take.      

                            

• Read food labels thoroughly and buy products that contain less salt
•  Don't add salt when you are cooking.
• Put the salt shaker away literally, don't put it on the table at meal time and then you won't add salt to your food.
• Use spices that do not contain sodium instead for example, garlic,herbs and pepper.
• Avoid prepared meals and canned and dried foods.

         Foods that contain salt
Use food labels to help you cutdown on salt:
 A high salt content is more than 1.5gram salt per 100 gram (or 0.6) gram sodium.
A low salt content is 0.3 gram salt or less per 100 gram (or 0.1)g sodium.
Some food are almost always high in salt because of the way they are made. Other foods,such as bread and breakfast cereals can contribute a lot of salt to your diet. But that's not because these foods are always high in salt, its because we eat a lot of them.
The following foods are almost high in salt. To cut down on salt,eat them less often or have smaller amounts.                                           

• Olives
• Yeast extract
• Soy sauce
• Salt fish
• Salami
• Smoked meat and fish
• Salted and dry roasted nuts
• Cheese
• Bouillon cubes
• Shrimp
• Bacon
• Pickles
• Ham

Foods that are can be high in salt
In these foods,the salt content can vary widely between different brand or varieties. That means you can cut down on salt by comparing brands, and chosing the one that is  low in salt. Food labels can help you do this
These foods include:

• Bread product
• Pasta sauces
• Potato chips
• Pizza
• Prepared meals
• Soup
• Sandwiches
• Breakfast cereals
• Sausage
• Ketchup, mayonnaise and others

Adults should eat not more than 6grams of salt a day, that is around one table spoon. As a rule aim for food that have a lower or medium salt content leave salty food to only occasional consumption

Salt and sodium 

It’s important to note that “salt” refers to sodium chloride. So salt is a actually a combination of two electrolytes: 

• Chloride (60%)

• Sodium (40%)