According to data released by the National Food and Nutrition Program, the excessive sodium intake It is associated with the development of hypertension, cardiovascular and renal diseases and other diseases, which are among the leading causes of hospitalizations and deaths in Brazil.
The World Health Organization recommends a maximum intake of 2000mg (2g) of sodium per person per day, which is equivalent to 5g of salt, however, Brazilians currently consume more than double this amount. Importantly, sodium is not only present in table salt.
Sodium is one of the elements found in cooking salt (sodium chloride), but is also present in most foods, including beverages such as soft drinks and processed juices, and in sweets, as this mineral participates in the composition of preservatives (nitrates and nitrite), sweeteners (cyclamate and saccharin). sodium), yeasts (sodium bicarbonate) and flavor enhancers (monosodium glutamate). As it presents health risks, sodium intake should be reduced.
Check out tips for reduce sodium in your diet.
Reduce salt intake
Although salt and sodium are not the same, 40% of salt is made up of sodium, so the first step in reducing this mineral is to eat less salt. For this, avoid using ready seasonings and concentrated broths, they are rich in flavor enhancers. Also, use natural spices, such as herbs, to prepare food, do not use salt shaker on the table and avoid adding salt to food when ready.
The invisible salt
We don't just eat the salt we add to food. Approximately 75% of the salt we eat is "invisible" because it comes from the food itself. Some foods are richer in salt than others, such as processed foods and sausages (ham, salami, mortadella). Therefore it is worth reducing the consumption of these foods.
Learn how to read labels
The ingredients used for the preparation of foods are listed in descending order of concentration, ie if an ingredient appears first in the list it means that most of the product is composed of it.
The same goes for the items on the nutritional table. In the case of sodium, identify if the food contains less than 400mg of sodium in 100g of food.
Foods that contain more than 400mg of mineral are high in sodium and therefore harmful to health. Also pay attention to preservatives, sweeteners, yeasts and flavor enhancers and opt for products that have low amounts of these additives.
Lower Your Sodium (April 2024)
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