Be aware of your salt intake
JOBURG - Heart attacks, strokes and hypertension can all be caused by an excess of salt in your body, so look after your health during World Salt Awareness Week.
World Salt Awareness Week runs from 16 to 22 March and falls in the month that health organisations the world over have dedicated to raising awareness about the personal health of the public.
Hypertension, otherwise known as high blood pressure, is commonly referred to by doctors as the silent killer, and with one in three South African adults living with the condition it is definitely something to be concerned about. As an adult you should only consume about 5g of salt a day. This means that the salt found in foods, as well as the salt you add to each of your meals should only add up to 5g each day.
Salt is a taste that South Africans have come accustomed to, so to fight the urge to take in extra salt you can start by implementing these simple tips to slowly cut down on your salt intake each day:
- Read the labels of the food products you buy to ration your intake of salt throughout the day.
- Add flavour to your meals by cooking them with various spices, rather than boosting the flavour using salt.
- Watch where and how often you eat out as restaurants and fast food chains, as they are notorious for adding loads of salt to meals.
- Cut down on processed foods and stick to the healthier, organic alternatives.
