Salt in your Diet
The salt we put in own our cooking or add at the table is obvious, but only a fraction of the intake comes from the salt we add. The rest comes from salt hidden in the food, i.e., restaurant, processed, packed, canteen food, etc. Most people are completely unaware that these foods contains high salt in various processed foods (in addition to salt consumed from natural foods as described earlier) , for example soft drinks, soups, ketchups, sauces, bread, breakfast cereals, etc.
Also remember that there are other forms of sodium like sodium nitrate and monosodium glutamate (commonly called MSG) that are used to preserve many processed foods. Scientists have discovered that sodium nitrate can cause cancerous tumors if consumed over a long period of time. MSG is commonly found in Chinese foods and frozen, canned as well as packaged foods. MSG is used to enhance flavour. Although it tastes less salty than common table salt, it has three times the sodium content.
It is not only the salt we sprinkle over the food that we need to be wary of. Salt added into the food before we consume is secretly putting our health at risk.
- Most fast foods and take away foods, such as pizza, sandwich and burger.
- Most Indian snacks such as salted peanuts, samosas, tikki, papdi chaat and bhel puri are high in salt.
- Most snack foods, such as potato chips, papads and corn chips.
- Dehydrated or packet foods, such as instant noodles, pasta or soups.
- Soups, sauces, chutneys, raitas, pickles, salad with salt sprinkled over it and condiments such as soy sauce and tomato sauce, ketchup and most processed tomato products. Soups are one of the worst culprits for hidden salt. People who regularly eat soup could be raising their risk of stomach cancer.
- Cracker biscuits, breads and breakfast cereals. Two slices of most breads have 250 to 480mg sodium. Look for low sodium variety of breads and cereals. Some salt is added to the flour while making the dough for rotis or chapattis. This adds extra salt to the body.
- An average serving of breakfast cereal can have up to 500mg of sodium. A bowl of cornflakes has about the same amount of salt as a small packet of plain chips.
If you are planning to eat out in a restaurant or a caf�, or are ordering a takeaway, you can maker some smarter choices to reduce intake of salt. Be careful which restaurant, caf�, or takeaway you choose.
- Drink more water. Excess sodium needs water to be excreted from the body.
- Strictly avoid fast food buffet-style restaurants where food is pre-cooked; instead choose a restaurant where the food is made to order
- You do not always have to give up eating out. When you eat out, try to consume items that are very low in salt the rest of the day. This will help you stay within your slat intake limit for the day
- If you are going to have a Chinese or Indian meal, go for plain rice because this is lower in salt than egg-fried rice or palao rice
- Try not to have samosas, bhajiyas, crisps, biscuits, or salty chips too often, which will not only lower your sodium but will also be kind to your waistline as well
- Since condiments contain a high degree of sodium, order a green salad with no salad dressing and ask for a lemon wedge on the side for a refreshing change that will actually allow you to taste your salad.