POLOKWANE – “Our body needs salt to survive, but only in small amounts. The problem really lies in the amount that we are eating. Excessive salt intake is directly associated with raised blood pressure which may eventually lead to hypertension. This is particularly relevant to South Africa where we see a shocking 46% of women and 44% of men age 15 years and older with hypertension which makes them vulnerable to having a stroke or suffering from heart disease. High blood pressure is responsible for one in two strokes and two in five heart attacks in South Africa,” she explained.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends limiting salt intake to no more than 5 gm per person per day, which is equivalent to one teaspoon. “South Africans however, cook with salty ingredients, add extra salt at the table and choose processed foods with hidden salt, resulting in them consuming on average 8.5 gm of salt per day,” she explained.
She further explained that as sodium is the main ingredient of salt, all types of salt are thus high in sodium. “Healthy adults only need about 1500 mg of sodium each day. This is the amount of sodium in 2/3 teaspoon of salt. One way to decrease the sodium in our diet is to avoid adding salt when cooking. There are many combinations of flavourful ingredients to make food tasty without adding salt,” she explained.
“You can do this by adding herbs, spices, garlic and citrus to your food. There are many combinations of flavourful ingredients to make food tasty without adding salt. If you would like an adventure in the kitchen you can start by choosing one or more of the ingredients in the chart below to rub, sprinkle, stir-fry or add to your favourite dishes.”
| DISH | SUGGESTED HERBS AND SPICES | |
| Beef | Ginger
Garlic Onion Allspice or pimento Escallion Cayenne Pepper |
Paprika
Rosemary Thyme Celery Green onion Black pepper |
| Pork | Onion
Ginger Allspice or pimento Thyme Garlic Escallion |
Black pepper
Rosemary Hot pepper Cayenne pepper Green onion |
| Poultry (e.g. chicken) | Lemon
Celery Paprika Thyme Garlic Curry powder |
Allspice or pimento
Garlic Escallion Green onion Ginger Hot pepper Cayenne pepper |
| Fish, Legumes, Goat or Mutton | Lemon
Ginger Black pepper Chives Escallion Green onion Thyme Celery |
Garlic
Parsley Curry powder Allspice or pimento Hot pepper Vinegar Cilantro Chili |
| Legumes | Black pepper
Thyme Cloves Onion Chives |
Garlic
Allspice or pimento Escallion Hot pepper |
| Goat or Mutton | Garlic
Allspice or pimento Escallion Thyme |
Cloves
Onion Chives |
In support of Salt Awareness Week, Dis-Chem Pharmacies are also offering free blood pressure testing in all their clinics nationwide from Friday, 16 March until Sunday, 8 April. All adults are advised to test their blood pressure at least once every year. “Most people with high blood pressure don’t know it’s high because there are rarely any symptoms to warn you. That is why it is often called a silent killer. Get your blood pressure checked, it can save your life,” she concluded.
