#SaltAwarenessWeek – How much salt should you have a day?

Salt plays an integral part in cooking and baking but according to World Action on Salt and Health (Wash), we have too much of it. 

Generally, it hardly takes a second thought to re-seasoning your food, by adding more or less salt, depending on your taste buds.

However, with rising health and heart risks worldwide, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends we have five grams of salt a day or less, which is about one teaspoon. They hope by 2025 that most countries will have reduced their salt intake by 30 per cent but unfortunately, most countries will not reach that target according to Wash.

World Awareness Salt Week takes place from the 4 to 10 March.

While reducing your salt intake may sound easy, it is more complex than just decreasing how much salt you put in your food. Salt is added in many processed foods, such as boxed cereals, bread, cakes, biscuits, pre-made foods and food from sit-down or fast-food restaurants.

Health experts say people should always check the labels before they buy food. People can also use herbs and spices as a replacement for salt.

You can’t always taste the HIDDEN SALTS in foods – bread, cereal, biscuits, cakes, jarred sauces. Always check the label to find the lower salt version https://t.co/PDPQWkySjO #SaltAwarenessWeek pic.twitter.com/IOMjr64Jcz

— WASSH (@WASHSALT) March 4, 2019

A diet with a high salt intake could raise your blood pressure or increase your risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke.

Eating less salt would benefit our health AND our economies! The food industry must take ACTION and add less salt to their products https://t.co/PDPQWkySjO #saltawarenessweek pic.twitter.com/u0oIqYqcoN

— WASSH (@WASHSALT) March 4, 2019

There are many ways to cut your salt intake, and this recipe below shows how you can do this without missing out on flavour.

Ditch your box muesli and cereals which are loaded with added salt and sugar and try Jessica Sepel’s cinnamon, cardamom and orange zest bircher muesli recipe from her Living the Healthy Life cookbook from our sister publication Food & Home:

Ingredients:

100 g organic or gluten-free oats
250 ml milk of choice or filtered water
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
70 g raw almonds, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon shredded coconut
1 small pear, grated
2 tablespoons Greek-style yoghurt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus extra to serve (optional)
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
maple syrup or raw honey, fresh full-fat ricotta
blueberries or dates, to serve

Instructions:

1. Soak the oats in the water or milk overnight. Make sure they are completely covered.
2. In a bowl, combine the oats with the orange zest, juice, almonds, coconut, pear, yoghurt, cinnamon and cardamom – the texture should be thick but smooth.
3. To serve, drizzle with maple syrup or honey and top with ricotta, blueberries or torn fresh dates. Sprinkle with a little extra cinnamon, if desired.

Get healthy this Salt Awareness Week.

Related articles:

Be aware of your salt intake

https://www.citizen.co.za/fourways-review/278872/healthy-friday-salt-really-monster-made/