How much salt should we eat each day?
According to the American Heart Association (AHA) recommendations:
Maximum intake: 2,300 mg of sodium per day (equivalent to about 1 teaspoon of salt).
The ideal dose is 1,500 mg/day for most adults, especially those with heart disease, high blood pressure, or a risk of kidney disease.
Simply reducing sodium intake by about 1,000 mg per day can help improve blood pressure and provide better cardiovascular protection.
Controlling salt intake therefore becomes difficult. However, you can absolutely reduce your daily salt consumption.
To protect your cardiovascular and kidney health, keep your salt intake below 2,300 mg per day and prioritize fresh, minimally processed foods.
Carefully reading nutrition labels and choosing low-salt products is an important step in making it easier to control sodium intake in your daily diet.
Ways to reduce your daily salt intake
Even if you don't add salt to your meals, your body can still absorb more sodium than necessary. This is because over 70% of the salt in your diet comes from processed, packaged foods and restaurant meals.
Controlling salt intake therefore becomes difficult. However, you can absolutely reduce your daily salt consumption.
Make smart food choices when shopping.
When shopping for groceries at stores, please note:
Read food labels carefully: Compare similar products and choose the one with the lowest sodium content per serving.
Salt is an essential ingredient in daily meals, but using too much can be harmful to the body.
Choose fresh meat instead of pre-marinated meat: For example, fresh or frozen meat that hasn't been brine-treated contains only about 100 mg of sodium per serving, while pre-marinated roast chicken can contain up to 400 mg.
Be mindful of condiments: Soy sauces, dips, salad dressings, ketchup, pickles, and olives all contain high levels of sodium. Choose those labeled "low sodium" or "reduced sodium."
Reduce salt when cooking at home.
Here are some ways to reduce salt when cooking at home:
Enhance natural flavors: Replace salt with ingredients like onions, garlic, herbs, pepper, citrus juice, or vinegar to make dishes more flavorful.
Washing canned foods: Rinsing and draining canned beans or vegetables can reduce sodium intake by up to 40%.
Combine low-sodium and regular foods: If you're not used to the bland taste, mix low-sodium foods with regular foods in a 1:1 ratio.
Reducing salt intake doesn't mean eating bland food. Simply choosing foods wisely and changing your cooking habits can significantly cut down on your daily salt intake, thereby protecting your cardiovascular and kidney health in the long term.
Cooking without salt: When cooking noodles, rice, or cereals, you can skip the salt because the dish will still have flavor from the other ingredients.
Choose healthy cooking methods: Techniques like baking, braising, roasting, or stir-frying help preserve natural flavors and reduce the need for added salt.
Eat plenty of potassium-rich foods.
Potassium helps balance the effects of sodium and supports blood pressure reduction. Some potassium-rich foods include: potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, leafy greens, white beans, kidney beans, bananas, oranges, cantaloupe, non-fat yogurt, and low-sodium tomato sauce.
Reducing salt intake doesn't mean eating bland food. Simply choosing foods wisely and changing your cooking habits can significantly cut down on your daily salt intake, thereby protecting your cardiovascular and kidney health in the long term.
Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/an-bao-nhieu-muoi-moi-ngay-la-du-172260421112007777.htm
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