FOOD OF THE WEEK - SALT

More on SALT...                                                                       p3.

How much salt is too much?

So far we have reviewed some of the types of salt and the damage that too much salt can cause to our health. It is important to note that salt in itself is NOT bad! But too much is bad – no matter how tasty we feel our food is – we must pay attention to the effect this exerts on our health.

Too much salt raises blood pressure which in turn puts people – especially - Afro Caribbeans, at high risk of stroke, kidney disease and heart disease.

How salt much is recommended?

The UK recommendation is no more than 6g daily. That is one teaspoon per day. The current average salt intake is 8.1g salt a day -  many people are eating more than this.

People at risk of high blood pressure, or those with high blood pressure should take extra care to ensure that they keep their salt intake below the recommended maximum of 6g. The majority of salt consumed by people of black African descent is from salt added in cooking and/or at the table. This is in contrast to the rest of the UK population (and indeed the Western world) where 75% of salt intake comes from processed foods.

What does this mean in practical terms?

Lower your salt intake by avoiding excess salt in cooking – remember the recommendation per day is no more than one teaspoon daily.

Also watch out for sources of salt in processed foods:

•        salty meats and processed meat products such as ham, bacon, sausages, pate, salami

•        canned, packet and instant soups

•         ketchup, soy sauce, mayonnaise, pickles

•        stock cubes, gravy powder and salted

•        any canned food containing salt

•        smoked meat and fish, prawns and anchovies

•         meat and yeast extracts

•         salted snacks like crisps, salted nuts, salted biscuits, popcorn

•        high salt ready meals, sauces and takeaway meals

•        pasta sauce

Look out for words on labels like sodium, salt, brine, cured, pickled, corned, smoked on labels – and only eat limited amounts of these products

Watch out for bread and breakfast cereals some contain salt - compare labels when you are shopping and choose the ones lower in salt.

Labelling:

In the UK the traffic light labelling system operates – see below:

Here is some basic guidance on labelling, generally avoid any foods that are in the red. For salt,  this means that there is too much salt per 100g.

Green means it is a healthy choice – 0.3g or less; Amber is 0.31-1.5g – this means eat in moderation.

**You may see ‘sodium' listed on some labels rather than salt. To convert sodium into salt multiply the amount on the label by 2.5.

 Other considerations:

People of black African descent should aim to :

• Recognise that sea salt, rock salt and garlic salt all have the same effect on your blood pressure, so limit use of these

•       Take care with any salted meat or fish e.g. salt fish, stock fish, salted mackerel, saltbeef, khobi, salted pigs tail, should be soaked in water for 24 hours (changing the water a number of times) to remove most of the salt before cooking.

• Decrease use of salt and try other flavourings such as fresh herbs, spices.

•        Try using fermented locust bean also known as Iru, ogiri or dawa dawa. This strong smelling fermented bean is a useful addition to soups and stews. Long before bouillon cubes like Knorr, Maggi and Jumbo, fermented locust bean has been used in some African nations. It takes getting used to, but give it a try! Fermented locust bean is documented as having a beneficial effect on blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

For many of us this will mean literally retraining our taste buds to accept a lower level of salt. Isn’t your life worth that? Remember, you are here to fulfil purpose!

 http://www.actiononsalt.org.uk/salthealth/ethnic/blackafrican/#sthash.zpMQycUu.dpuf

https://www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts/Salt.pdf