How and why to reduce the amount of salt in their diet

About what foods to avoid and how to cook without adding too much salt.

A teaspoon of salt contains 2325 mg of sodium - is more than the recommended daily rate. In addition, the sodium found in most processed foods and convenience foods. He needs the body as it helps to maintain fluid balance and transmit nerve impulses. He also influences the contraction and relaxation of muscles. But sodium can negatively affect health.

For sodium in the body the kidneys followed. When he was little, they hoard it, and when a lot - deduce the excess urine. If for some reason the kidneys fail, the sodium starts to accumulate in the blood. And because it attracts and holds water, blood volume is increased, increasing the load on the heart, blood pressure rises. All these factors of development cardiovascular disease.

The recommended amount of sodium per day - less than 2300 mg. But this is a high value. Try more to reduce the dose, particularly if you have hypersensitivity to sodium.

Know in what foods contain sodium

• All processed foods: flour products, cold cuts and cheeses, canned foods, fast food and ready meals. They are usually a lot of salt and other additives.
• Natural sources: vegetables, dairy products, meat, seafood. For example, in a glass of milk about 100 mg of sodium.
• Refueling. For example, one teaspoon (15 ml), soy sauce contains 1000 mg of sodium.

To consume less sodium:

• Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Also buy fresh meat and on sausages, sausages and ham refuse.
• If you buy ready-made products, choose those with a note about a low sodium content. Do not buy cereals with the addition of spices, give preference to the usual.
• Try not to add salt when cooking.
• Use fewer refills. Soy sauce, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard - they all contain a lot of sodium. To improve the taste of food without salt, add herbs and spices, citrus juice and zest.

Look at the label

Taste is not to determine whether a lot of sodium in the product. So always look on the label nutritional value. It should be stated content of salt and other ingredients, comprising sodium, for example:

• Monosodium glutamate (E621).
• Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate).
• Baking powder.
• sodium hydrogenphosphate.
• sodium alginate.
• sodium citrate.
• sodium nitrite.

Avoid products in which the content of sodium per serving than 200 mg. To do this, note how many servings in the package. This information should also be listed in the nutritional value.

The stores are many products labeled "less sodium" or "no salt," but this does not mean that all of them is really low in sodium. Typically, these labels are as follows:

• "Without salt". Each portion comprises at least 5 mg of sodium.
• «C reduced sodium content." Sodium content is reduced by at least 50% compared to the usual one.
• "Without the addition of salt." During processing, no added salt, nevertheless ingredients may themselves contain much sodium.

gradually wean

You can train yourself to eat less salt. Just slowly reduce its amount. To get started, use unsalted spices, and the amount of salt per day, limit a quarter teaspoon. Remove the salt shaker from the table. Over time you get used to, and some products even will seem to you salty.