Food For Thought

Living with Less Salt

It may take from three to six weeks for people to adjust to life with salt. However, those who have reduced their salt intake claim that food taste even better than they had imagined before they become used to the idea. 'Before I adjusted, every thing was just tasteless' is a typical respond. 'But then I found that unsalted butter has a fantastic taste of its own, and vegetables have a finer, purer flavor without salt.'

The reason may be that a high-salt diet blunts the natural ability to taste salt, while cutting down makes the taste-buds more sensitive. The secret to successful salt-free cooking is to be imaginative in the kitchen. As the taste-buds will have to be slowly weaned away from the salt habit, they must be given pleasant diversions in the meantime. A squeeze of lemon, or a combination of herbs and spices can work wonders. Fresh herbs like parsley, bunga kantan, mint, garlic, etc; spices like chili and curry powder; powdered mustard, pepper, cinnamon, tamarind, coriander, ketumba seeds and leaves are among the common substitutes that can be used with pleasant results. Most people think that eggs, potatoes and bread would be especially difficult to face without salt. Not true, because they can be very appetizing if cooked or used with no-salt flavorings.

Some Good Rules to Remember:

• Salt is essential in body, but the amount we need is very small and it is provided by foods such as meat, milk, eggs and vegetables.

• The addition of salt is not necessary to meet the needs of healthy people.

• Avoid developing the "salt habit" with your children.

• When cooking, taste before you add salt or soya sauce. You can easily halve the amount of salt you consume in this way. The body needs about 500-1,000 mg of sodium per day. This means that only a light sprinkling of salt is enough for most dishes.

• Read labels well. If salt or soda or sodium compounds are listed among the first few ingredients, the food is probably high in sodium.

• Cut down on salted foods and snacks.

• Avoid preserved foods - fresh foods have almost all the salt your body needs.

• Use salt free polyunsaturated margarine, salt free butter or vegetable oil for baking.

• Use reduced salt or low salt bread, butter and margarine.
   

Hidden Sources of Salt

These foods are high in sodium or sodium compounds:

Processed / Preserved Foods:

• tinned fruits and foods

• fast foods, example fried chicken, french fries, burgers

• Salted fruits, salted vegetables, salted eggs

• instant chocolate drinks

• Crisps, salted peanuts, keropok

• butter, margarine

Baked Foods:

• pastry, cakes

• bread

• self-raising flour

• breakfast cereals

• cereal foods

Seasonings / Additives:

• monosodium glutamate

• sodium ascorbate (added to foods as Vitamin C)

• baking soda, baking powder

• sodium benzoate, sodium nitrite (preservatives)

This are hints for the general population. If you are being treated for hypertension discuss the diet with your doctor or consult a dietitian about your diet.