Despite having an important role in the body and contributing to the proper functioning of the body, excessive consumption of table salt can cause health problems.
Composed mainly of sodium, 5 g of salt is equivalent to 2 g of sodium. The recommended daily sodium intake is 2 g/day, excess consumption is associated with the development of high blood pressure, cardiovascular, kidney and other diseases.
The recommended maximum daily salt intake by the World Health Organization (WHO) is 5 grams/day. The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) reveals that Brazilian consumption is 12 grams per day, a value that is more than double the recommended amount.
One of the most practical ways to reduce sodium consumption is to observe the nutritional information on the back of processed food packaging. If the amount exceeds 400mg in 100g of food, it is considered a food rich in sodium, being harmful to health.
In addition to observing the nutritional information of processed foods, it is important to reduce the amount of salt in meal preparations. We can replace it with other condiments, which will even enhance the flavor, for example, using seasonings such as green pepper, garlic, onion , fresh, dried herbs or lemon juice.
The use of industrialized seasonings should also be avoided, as they contain a high sodium content.
It is important when trying to reduce salt consumption to bear in mind that the taste cells may take some time to adjust to the less intense taste of salt (average period of up to three months). It is important that people who used to consume foods with a high salt content know this in order to persist in consuming foods with less salt.
Light salt: its sodium content is reduced. It has 50% sodium and 50% potassium chloride, but should be used in moderation, especially by people who have kidney problems.
There are other types of salts such as sea salt and Himalayan salt, which also help to finish a dish.
Examples of foods that have high sodium content are: broths, sausages, preserves, breakfast cereals, vegetable margarines, instant noodles, snacks, soups, sauces and ready-made seasonings, which should be avoided or consumed sporadically to maintain good nutrition and health.
Reference
Ministry of Health website.
Food guide for the Brazilian population. Promoting healthy eating, Brasília DF, 2008.