Why people eat salt?
Our bodies need essential mineral that is called sodium. Sodium helps to regulate the levels of fluid in the body. For its turn, fluid helps to maintain normal blood pressure and keep nerves and muscles working properly.
Excessive consumption of sodium may cause some problems. Sodium is the dietary element. Scientists associate sodium intake with high blood pressure (hypertension). Nevertheless, when exercising vigorously, especially in hot weather, it is important to replace the salt and fluid expenditures through perspiration.
 How much salt?
Baby of 6 months – less than 1 gram per day
Babies from 1 to 3 years – 2 grams per day
Children from 4 to 6 years – 3 grams per day
Children from 7 to 10 – 5 grams a day
Teenagers from 11 to 14 – 6 grams per day
Adults – 6 grams per day
How to reduce your sodium intake?
Shopping
- Check the nutrition label to see the amount of sodium.
- Look for 'reduced salt' or 'reduced sodium' advice on pack.
- Choose canned vegetables without salt and products such as tuna canned in water, rather than brine.
- Try using “low sodium” salt substitutes for use in cooking and at the table. Do not use these if you have some problems with your kidneys.
Cooking
- Experiment. Replace salt with other flavors. You can use such herbs as rosemary, coriander, lemon grass, basil, chives, and such spices as ginger, cumin, chili or garlic.
- Taste your food before adding salt at the table, and then add just a little if needed.
Eating out
- Before adding salt taste meal. If you feel more salt is needed, add just a little.
- Control the amount of sauces you add. For example, soy sauce can be high in salt.
You needn't to stop eating foods which are higher in salt, because all foods can fit into a healthy balanced diet. If you eat several high salt foods, reduce the salt in other foods at other times to maintain a balance. Don’t forget that the daily target intake of 6g salt for adults is an average which can be achieved over a few days.
If you have some medical conditions like hypertension or any others you should visit your doctor.
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