New Zealanders eat about 8.5g of salt a day, significantly more than the recommended daily intake of 5g. Photo / File
Many New Zealanders eat too much salt, but there are simple ways to cut back.
Question:
I have read in two of your recent columns that a high-sodium diet is a significant risk factor for
cardiovascular diseases, which are the leading cause of death in New Zealand. Is a low-sodium salt product a healthy substitute for regular salt?
Answer:
New Zealanders eat about 8.5g of salt a day. That’s significantly more than the World Health Organisation’s recommended maximum daily intake of 5g of salt (2000mg of sodium). And it’s a problem because too much salt can lead to high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, kidney disease, certain cancers and osteoporosis. But will a low-sodium salt product significantly affect our salt intake?
About 85 per cent of the sodium we eat is hidden in processed foods, and just 15 per cent is added to cooking at home. So, key actions for limiting your intake are, first, to buy low- or reduced-salt products, and, second, to prepare meals using minimal added salt and potentially choose a lower-sodium salt.
Certain processed foods contribute significantly to the average New Zealander’s salt intake. Therefore, you can substantially reduce your intake by targeting these products: bread, breakfast cereals, butter, cheese, biscuits, crackers, processed meats (such as sausages, salami, luncheon sausage and bacon), sauces and stocks, tinned fish (such as salmon, tuna and sardines) and tinned soups, veges and beans.
Many of these salty foods have equivalent low-salt versions available, so choose these instead of the saltier ones. If a lower-salt version is unavailable, compare different brands of the same product by reading the nutrition information, then choose the one with the lowest sodium level per 100g. You can also ditch certain products – for example, swap salty processed meats for low-salt fresh meats.
When it comes to home food preparation, salt is often added during cooking and at the table. Some people add salt to their meals before even tasting it. This may be a bad habit for some; for others, it may be due to a genetic difference in their taste buds.
Some years ago, US researchers discovered that some individuals eat a lot of salt because they like the taste and because it blocks other unpleasant food tastes. About 25 per cent of the population are genetically predisposed to have more taste buds, so consequently sense flavours more intensely. These “supertasters” will describe bitter compounds as “extremely bitter”, whereas others may not even notice them. So, supertasters use salt to block unpleasant tastes and as a result eat more sodium, according to the 2010 study published in Physiology & Behavior.
On that note, there are a couple of measures worth trying at home (including your suggestion):
Use a low-sodium salt replacement during cooking and at the table – these are typically made from potassium chloride or other chloride salts, so they taste different. However, a low-sodium salt replacement will only be effective if you use the same amount (or less) as a typical table salt. You’ll be no better off if you use more low-sodium salt.
Look for other ways to flavour your dishes naturally, such as fresh herbs, spices and condiments like chutneys or relishes. These should help to fill the flavour gap left by the removal of salt and, for supertasters, will potentially mask any bitter flavours.
Salt is a hidden problem, but armed with the knowledge of which processed foods are the worst offenders and a low-sodium salt replacement, along with herbs and spices for flavouring, you can significantly reduce your salt intake. And remember, it’s possible to alter the degree of saltiness we enjoy by gradually decreasing our intake at the table. It will take time and effort, but the results will be worth it, and your cardiovascular system will thank you.
