Too much sodium (salt) in the system tends to retain fluid in the body, increasing the blood pressure and predisposing to problems such as swelling of the legs. The heart has to work harder with the increased amount of blood volume. Thus, it is good to decrease salt intake, the average person in United States takes in about 12 grams (g) of sodium each day, one of the highest intakes in the world. Our convenience foods and our fast foods are usually loaded with salt. Salt is in ketchup, in most sauces, and in hidden form in many foods. You need to read the labels to find it: look for “sodium,” not “salt”, the recommended amount is 4 grams a day of salt for a typical person. You will get plenty without adding anything. Under a doctor’s advice, patients with problems of high blood pressure, heart failure, or some other difficulties may need to reduce salt much more radically.
Do you have the typical craving for junk food? Don’t despair, there are healthy snacks! One of our favorites: popcorn, butterless, hot-air cooked, sprayed with butter-flavored PAM, and sprinkled with a little Parmesan cheese. Even better, try popcorn with olive oil instead of butter, unsalted peanuts in the shell, or French bread basted with olive oil and toasted with oregano or garlic.
The Government is pushing the 'reduce your salt' intake..... but wait!
ReplyDeleteThere is NO REAL EVIDENCE that an increase in salt will cause people to suffer an increased risk of heart attack….. The studies are there for all to see for themselves, so why is there a push to lower our sodium (salt) intake?
http://just-me-in-t-health.blogspot.com/2010/09/you-want-salt-with-that.html