Salt is a basic element of the diet found in every Greek household in order to add flavor to dishes.
Since ancient times, salt has also been used to preserve food, as it prevents the growth of micro-organisms, something that has now been largely limited by cooling and freezing them.
However, the increased consumption of salt is primarily to blame for the appearance of blood pressure (hypertension), while it can also create kidney problems. In turn, hypertension may lead to coronary heart disease, strokes, heart failure as well as other chronic diseases.
Table salt consists of 40% sodium (Na) and 60% chlorine (CI), where 1 g of salt is equivalent to 0.4 g of sodium. In addition to the fact that increased sodium consumption is responsible for hypertension, high salt intake can lead to the occurrence of stomach cancer, depending on other factors, such as, for example, infection with Helicobacter pylori.
If one observes the product labels in supermarkets, one will find that most foods contain so-called “hidden” salt, combined with the fact that there are also quite a few natural unprocessed foods.
Relevant researches at the European level, however, lead to the conclusion that 70%-75% of salt intake comes from processed foods, but also various meals that we consume in addition to homemade food. In particular, 10%-15% are natural unprocessed foods, while the same percentage is estimated to be consumed when we cook the food in combination with the amount we add to our dishes.
For this reason, after all, the World Health Organization recommends that the daily intake of salt should be less than 5g, which is equivalent to one teaspoon, while the above amount should be less for children who are younger than 11 years.
Sodium is also a nutrient for the body, therefore, the minimum amount that a healthy adult needs on a daily basis – provided, of course, that he does not sweat – is estimated to be 0.18 g – 0.23 gr.
However, this amount of sodium may not cover the needs for other nutrients. However, in order to meet the needs of the human body with various other nutrients, as well as to replace sodium losses through sweat, healthy adults need 3.8 g of salt daily, which means about 1.5 g of sodium.
Given, however, that the majority of citizens in European countries consume an average of 8 – 11 g of salt per day, experts recommend that the above percentage should be 5 – 6 g per day. In this direction, moreover, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) defines 6 g as a reference value, regarding the labeling needs on food labels.
The “indicator” of high salt content in food
In order for citizens to determine whether a food has a high salt content, they can read the relevant table that lists in detail the substances contained in each packaged product.
More specifically, if a 100g food contains 0.3g of salt (or less), then it is low in salt.
Accordingly, if its quantity does not exceed 0.1 g of salt, then it is considered very low in salt.
Also, salt-free is a food that contains no more than 0.1 g of salt per 100 g or 100 ml.
Finally, without added salt is a food that does not contain added sodium or salt or any other ingredient to which the above substances have been added and does not contain more than 0.3 g of salt per 100 g or 100 ml.
Practical tips to limit your salt intake
With the aim of limiting salt consumption and not exceeding the limits set by global organizations and national authorities, such as EFET in our country, there are some practical tips that you can adopt to protect your body.
Remove the salt shaker from the table
There are many times when most of us are tempted to add salt to our food before we even taste it, as is the case with French fries. The result is, of course, that we add extra salt to our dishes, beyond the amount we have used during cooking.
Use spices, herbs and lemon
If you want to enhance the taste of your dishes, you can replace salt with various spices or seasonings, such as: dill, rosemary, nutmeg, cinnamon, oregano, pepper, curry. You will also find that fresh lemon can enhance the flavor of certain foods. In addition, when boiling pasta or rice, do not add salt to the water.
Eat fresh raw foods
Frozen fresh vegetables, which have not undergone any other processing, do not contain added salt.
Read food labels carefully
As you find yourself in the supermarket with your trolley, take a few seconds to look at the salt content of the products. Therefore, you can choose to buy foods that are low in salt. It is worth noting that bottled water suitable for a low-sodium diet has a sodium content of less than 20 mg per liter of water. In fact, with the aim of making it easier for consumers, there are also products that clearly indicate that they have at least 25% less salt compared to similar products, as is the case with feta cheese.
Watch out for sauces and ‘instant’ products
In most foods we use packaged tomato juices, so it would be better to choose natural vegetables, but also to avoid ready-made sauces and “instant” products, as well as canned goods. For this reason, you should rinse canned foods preserved in brine before eating them, and also salt olives and feta cheese. At the same time, a lot of attention is needed in cured meats, pickles, as well as bakery products.
Limit eating out
Since when we cook for ourselves at home, we can control the amount of salt we add to our dishes, the same is not the case with the meals we might consume in taverns and restaurants. Therefore, it would be useful to ask that they do not add salt to the food (meats, potatoes, fish, salad) before serving.
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