Eating too much salt is not good. Doctors, nutrition specialists and also the World Health Organization (WHO) say so. In fact, high sodium consumption causes the death of 3 million people worldwide each year. And it is proven that, on average, you consume twice as much salt as is recommended, 5 grams of salt or 2 grams of sodium per day.
It doesn’t matter what your father or your husband says. In fact, it is men and people with a higher body mass index who consume the most salt. And you don’t have to, because as explained by Marina Escudero, nutritionist and nurse at the Dénia II Integrated Health Center, which manages the Ribera health group in the Department of Health of Dénia“salt is already naturally present in food and all that we add is unnecessary for our body”.
The argument of the increase in temperature and the loss of liquid, due to sweat, is no excuse either. The nutritionist from Dénia explains that “although in the summer we have greater losses of water and electrolytes, it is not recommended to increase the contribution of salt in this season, but to increase the contribution of water and rich foods that, in addition to providing the minerals typical of salt, contain others essential for life that we do not find there.”
It’s true that in the summer we miss snacks… but these don’t have to be unhealthy. We must avoid all those foods or preparations with more than 1.25 grams of salt for every 100 grams or 100 ml of product. Marina Escudero suggests healthy snacks or entrees.
Healthy, low-salt snacks and starters
- hummus with carrot or cucumber
- natural or roasted nuts without salt
- lupines
- well-rinsed confits
- assorted salads
- grilled or raw vegetables in the form of skewers
- tzatziki (Turkish dish made with yogurt, cucumber, water and garlic)
- cottage cheese
- fruit
- smoothies (fruit shakes with milk)
- Gazpachos
- cold vegetable creams
Tips to reduce salt consumption
The Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition has drawn up a guide to help citizens control the intake of salt in their daily diet. Here are the tips it provides:
- Do not add salt to food, stews, or salads. Replace the flavor with herbs, spices, lemon, vinegar, pepper, garlic, etc.
- Do not add salt while cooking, otherwise it is better to throw it away when you have already served and tasted the food.
- Choose fresh products whenever possible: fresh meat and fish, fruits and vegetables. These foods contain little salt.
- Avoid salty foods: salty nuts, snacks, sausages, sausages, canned foods, soups, commercial pastries, cured cheeses, sauces, etc.
- When we go shopping, we should choose brands of products that contain less salt, which is why you should always read the nutrition label.
- Keep in mind that the amount of salt consumed is in relation to the amount of food ingested, because it is not the foods with the highest salt content that will always contribute the most salt to our diet. If we take a large amount of a food with an average proportion of salt, we will end up ingesting a lot of salt.
- You don’t have to stop eating foods with a high salt content, just reduce the frequency of consumption and try to choose the option or brand that contains less. In this way, the consumption of foods with less salt is encouraged.
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