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asSALT of the Body - Salt Awareness

Salt in the City...there’s a spin off name that sounds vaguely familiar...In fact on February 5th, AWASH - the Australian Division of World Action on Salt & Health used this as the title of the event they held in Sydney which had the aim of increasing salt intake awareness2. On a worldwide level, February 2nd -8th 2009 was Salt Awareness week, a week where World Action on Salt and Health (WASH) hoped to raise people’s awareness on just how much salt they were consuming with a special focus on salt eaten outside the home this year7.
But why the concern about salt intake? Well trends seem to indicate that we are consuming salt at levels much higher than the recommendations of less than 2.3g (2300mg) specified in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans4.

Salt was highly valued in historic times as it was not only used to season food but as a means to preserve food especially meat back in the times when refrigerators were non-existent! Salt eliminated the dependence on the seasonal availability of food and it allowed food to travel over long distances without spoiling6.

But what exactly is salt?

Salt is a dietary mineral made up of two major compounds; sodium and chloride, hence the other name you may occasionally hear it referred to as ‘sodium chloride’ or on nutritional labels – sodium6. Salt comes in several forms however the ones commonly consumed by humans include unrefined salt e.g. sea salt, refined salt e.g. regular table salt and iodised salt6. You may also find flavoured salts at your local super market such as chicken salt or garlic salt. Sodium is also one of four substances known as electrolytes; others include potassium, magnesium and calcium. Electrolytes play an important balancing role in the body regulating the body’s hydration and blood acidity. The correct electrolyte balance is also critical for correct nerve and muscle function5. The body can lose salt through sweat, urine, vomiting and diarrhoea. Although having low salt levels is uncommon for the average person, it can be fatal with initial symptoms such as muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting and dizziness  eventually leading  to shock, coma and death if a lack of salt persists3.

So you can see that including salt in our diets is essential however too much salt can be detrimental also. But what exactly is the issue with consuming too much salt? According to AWASH (the Australian Division of World Action on Salt & Health) “Excess salt consumed throughout life is bad for health, causing blood pressure to rise with age, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.”1 In fact, high salt intake has been linked to several health problems including heart failure and stroke, kidney problems, oedema and gastric cancer amongst others3.

Concerns aside, how can we reduce our salt intake?

Many foods especially processed foods and pre-packaged foods have hidden salts in them. Salt intake can be reduced by being mindful of the quantity of salt in different food products and by simply reducing the quantity of known salty foods in a diet. Foods to be weary of include cured and processed meats, fast food, commercial sauces, cheese, some breads etc3. Here are some tips to help you reduce salt intake:

  • Check food labels for salt (sodium content) to compare products, brands and varieties and choose the lower salt options2. 
  • Choose low salt foods (less than 120mg/100g) where possible and avoid high salt (greater than 500mg/100g) foods3.
  • Avoid consuming large amounts of cured meats such as ham, bacon, pepperoni, these are high in salt2, 3.
  • Avoid highly processed foods, they tend to be higher in salt3.
  • Include healthier food options such as salad, raw vegetable sticks and fresh fruit pieces in lunch boxes.
  • Limit salt used during cooking and taste food before adding salt at the table or when eating out2.
  • Use lemon juice, garlic, vinegar, or herbs and spices as an alternative to salt when cooking.
  • Choose fresh instead of canned meat and vegetables, or if canned products are essential, where possible choose those labelled ‘in water or spring water’3.
  • Avoid stock cubes, soy sauce, mustard, pickles and mayonnaise where possible. At the very least choose low salt varieties2.
  • Limit salty snacks such as potato crisps to once a week as a treat3.
  • When dining out, choose low salt food options and avoid having extras such as cured meats, anchovies and cheese added to meals2.
  • Reduce fast food intake. In a study conducted by AWASH, it was found that fast food tended to have high levels of salt, some commercial brands containing more than the upper limit of salt for the day in just one meal1!

References

  1. Australian Division of World Action on Salt and Health (AWASH), February 2009. AWASH – Fast Food Key Findings 2009. [Online], Available at http://www.awash.org.au/documents/AWASH_Fast_Food_Key_Findings%20_February_2009.pdf [Accessed 9th February 2008].
  2. Australian Division of World Action on Salt and Health (AWASH), February 2009. AWASH –Salt in the City - SALT OVERDOSE FOR CITY WORKERS - Fast food pushes salt consumption to unsafe levels (Media release). [Online], Available at http://www.awash.org.au/releases/AWASH_media_release_2009_02_05.pdf [Accessed 9th February 2008].
  3. Deakin University - Better Health Channel, November 2007. Salt [Online], Deakin University. Available at http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Salt?OpenDocument [Accessed 9th February 2008].
  4. Department of Health and Human Services USA, 2005. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 [Online]. Available at  http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/pdf/DGA2005.pdf [Accessed 10th February 2009].
  5. Wikipedia – The Free Encyclopedia, February 2009. Electrolyte [Online]. Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrolyte [Accessed 10th February 2009].
  6. Wikipedia – The Free Encyclopedia, February 2009. Salt [Online]. Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt [Accessed 9th February 2009].
  7. World Action on Salt and Health (WASH), February 2009. World Salt Awareness Week (February 2nd - 8th 2009) [Online]. Available at http://www.worldactiononsalt.com/awareness/world_salt_awareness_week_2009.htm [Accessed 10th February 2009].

 


Last updated 17 June 2009