Salt, this ancient seasoning, has a long history as part of our food table. Salt adds flavor to food, helps preserve freshness, and is necessary for the normal functioning of our body. While salt is important, excessive salt consumption has become an unnoticed threat to our family’s health.
Next, let’s explore the harmful effects of salt and how we can make conscious choices for our family’s health to prevent salt consumption-related health problems.
How much salt is healthy?
Adding salt to food and consuming ready-made meals, including snacks, is a daily routine for many of us. However, few understand how excessive salt consumption quietly and insidiously harms our family’s health. Therefore, it’s important to be aware of how to prepare delicious dishes without excess salt, which wouldn’t endanger our family’s health.
The sodium from salt is an essential mineral for the body, but excessive consumption harms health. For adults, the daily salt intake should stay below 6 grams, which corresponds to approximately 2.4 grams of sodium per day. It is important to remember that sodium is found in many unexpected sources, especially in processed and ready-made food. And, of course, in salt shakers!
| Age Group | Maximum Daily Salt |
| Up to 2 years | 2 grams |
| 2-9 years | 4 grams |
| 10-18 years and adults | 6 grams |
Sodium is primarily needed for:
- Transmission of nerve impulses
- Maintaining normal fluid exchange between blood and tissue cells
- Maintaining acid-base balance in the blood
- Ensuring muscle contraction.
What is salt consumption like in Estonia?
When we talk about salt consumption in Estonia, compared to many other European countries, we are a bit more fond of salt. Therefore, there is still a lot to be done to reach the lower salt consumption levels of our Finnish neighbors.
According to Estonian dietary recommendations, the daily recommended salt intake for an individual should be under 6 grams. This is roughly equivalent to one heaping teaspoon. However, recent studies show that Estonian men consume an average of 12.2 grams of salt, while Estonian women consume about 8.1 grams daily.
Children consume nearly twice as much salt as they should. Consequently, approximately 90 percent of Estonian residents consume excessive salt on a daily basis.
Which foods contain the most salt?
We get 80% of our salt intake daily from processed foods such as ready-made meals, bread and bakery products, as well as salted and smoked meat and fish products, and snacks. It may sometimes be surprising that an important source of salt is children’s favorite breakfast cereals. Processed foods often contain a lot of salt to make them tastier and to extend their shelf life.
Here are some examples of foods that contain salt:
- Meat and fish products: sausages, hot dogs, blood sausages, meatballs, marinated meat, jellied meat, and pâtés.
- Breads and bakery products: bread, rolls, breakfast cereals.
- Canned foods: soups, sauces, beans, peas.
- Snacks: potato chips, salted peanuts.
- Salted and smoked foods: cheese, olives, pickled cucumbers.
For example, about 1 gram of salt can be found in the following processed foods:
- 2 g of bouillon powder (about 1/5 of a bouillon cube)
- 10-20 g of salted herring (about a matchstick-sized piece)
- 40 g of ketchup (about 2 tablespoons)
- 40 g of smoked ham (about 3-5 slices)
- 50 g of hot dogs (about 2 small sausages)
- 50 g of cheese (about 5-8 slices)
- 90 g of bread (about 2 slices)
- 60 g of blood sausage (about 1 small or half of a larger sausage)
What are the health effects of excess salt?
- Constant thirst
- Swelling
- Weight gain
- High blood pressure
- High blood sugar levels
- Painful joints
- Dry skin
- Bone thinning
- Asthma
- Kidney stones
- Constipation and bloating
In addition to these symptoms, excessive salt consumption can also have other effects, such as:
- Increased risk of ulcers
- Increased risk of respiratory infections
- Increased risk of stomach cancer
Salt and High Blood Pressure
It’s important to know that one of the simplest ways to lower high blood pressure is to reduce salt intake. Research has shown that people who consume 10 grams of salt per day and reduce their intake to 5 grams will see their blood pressure drop by approximately 5 mm Hg. In societies where salt intake is below 1.2 grams per day, high blood pressure is much less common.
What is the Healthiest Salt?
Himalayan or pink salt is popular among people, but its sodium content is the same as regular table salt. A healthier option than traditional salt is heart-friendly salt, such as Cardiosa Heart Salt, which contains less sodium and more potassium and magnesium. These minerals support good health.
Potassium strengthens the heart muscle and regulates heart rhythm. Excessive salt consumption leads to potassium deficiency, causing swelling and elevated blood pressure.
Magnesium relaxes blood vessels and the heart muscle, regulates heart rhythm, and improves blood flow. Besides supporting heart function, magnesium also plays an effective role in the nervous system.
How to Reduce Your Family’s Salt Intake While Maintaining Food Flavor?
Reducing salt intake is crucial for your family’s health. Hidden dangers of excessive salt intake include high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, weakened immune system, stroke, heart attack, and stomach cancer.
Reducing salt intake doesn’t mean eating bland food. On the contrary, it opens the door to new and exciting flavors and helps keep you and your family healthy.
Here are some tips on how to reduce salt intake while keeping food flavorful:
- Cook yourself. If possible, prepare food yourself. This gives you full control over the cooking process and allows you to use less salt.
- Explore the world of herbs. Herbs, spices, and chili peppers are a great way to add flavor to your food without using excessive salt.
- Choose fresh foods. Prefer fresh vegetables and fruits over processed foods. They naturally contain less salt and offer healthier options.
- Follow recommended quantities. Check the recommended daily salt intake and try not to exceed it. This helps control blood pressure and reduces other health risks.
- Add salt to food only after cooking. The longer the food cooks, the more the salt flavor diminishes.
- Use reduced sodium salt. In addition to table salt, there are healthier heart salts that contain up to 53% less sodium. This is an excellent option for salt lovers who want to reduce their salt intake without sacrificing the salty taste of their food.
- Be patient. Reducing salt intake may take time and adjustment, especially if you’re used to very salty food. Give yourself time to adapt and enjoy new flavor experiences.
Consume salt wisely and stay healthy!
