Salt is something most of us use to season our food on a daily basis. Moderation has been suggested and many fret about the amounts they consume. Table salt contains 40% sodium and 60% percent chloride, which means each teaspoon of salt provides about 2,000 milligrams of sodium.
It is recommended to consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day which is about slightly more than one teaspoon of salt. However, the average consumption of salt is at least twice the recommended daily intake. Excess salt can lead to long-term health effects.
9Tips for Reducing Your Salt Intake
Avoid Processed Food
It can be considerably easy to decrease salt intake. Changing daily habits from fast food and large consumption of processed food to fresh produce can significantly decrease salt consumption. According to the American Heart Association, about 75% of the sodium we consume comes not from the salt shaker, but rather in processed and restaurant food.
Look for Sodium Content in the Food Labels
You need to pay close attention to what’s written in the food label. Most people will only consider the calorie intake, serving sizes, sugar count, and maybe the nutritional benefits like vitamins, when deciding to buy products.
However, you also need to pay close attention to the amount of sodium, as some products may appear healthy but in fact they are loaded with sodium (for example: this seemingly healthy product is loaded with sodium).
Explore Other Seasonings
Salt isn’t your only option. You can brighten flavors with freshly squeezed lemon and lime juice, and create a pop on your palate with balsamic or wine vinegars. Or add some heat with fresh hot peppers or red pepper flakes.
Replace Table Salt With This Healthy Salt
Regular table salt, most commonly found in kitchens and restaurants around the world, has little in common with natural salt. This salt is usually highly refined. It’s almost pure sodium chloride (97% or more), with added chemicals, such as absorbents and anti-caking agents. Use this salt which has incredible health benefits.
Don’t Completely Avoid Salt
While it’s true that too much sodium is bad for health, people shouldn’t live in fear of consuming sodium moderately. Depriving yourself of the mineral could leave your body worse off than having a bit too much. Simply avoid as much as you can processed foods, try and stay mindful of your sodium intake and try to use different types of salt to enjoy their health benefits.
This is a guest post written by Mckenzie Schroeder, a student at Ohio University who studies a business related field, that loves living an organic, healthy lifestyle and hopes to work for an environmental firm in the future.
