Excessive salt consumption threatens health
Stating that the World Health Organization recommends salt consumption per person per day below 5 grams, Gazipaşa District Health Director Dr. Eşşe Çelik said: “This amount is equivalent to a heaped teaspoon (a teaspoon to wipe. obtained by evaporation of sea water) and rock salt (halite is obtained from lake bottoms or underground, dried). In general, salt consists of sodium and chloride The sodium chloride content in all salts (rock, sea, table salt) is approximately “For this reason, the health effects are the same,” he said.
“Be careful with the use of salt during weight loss”
Çelik stated that attention should be paid to the use of salt during the diet and said: “We know that too much salt in our diet increases the risk of stroke and heart disease by increasing blood pressure (hypertension). Stroke and heart disease come also ranks as two of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Ministry of Health According to Turkish dietary guidelines, excessive consumption of salt (sodium) can lead to cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, stroke, osteoporosis and some cancers. Salt consumption should not be be more than 5 grams (1 full teaspoon or 1 flat teaspoon). The salt consumed should be iodized. According to the study of the Ministry of Health, Turkey Nutrition and Health Research, 2017, the daily salt consumption per capita is 10, 2 grams/day, which is twice the daily amount recommended by the World Health Organization.
Foods that contain too much salt should be avoided
Listing the foods that contain too much salt, Çelik said: “Ready-to-eat sauces, snack foods, salted nuts, pickles and pickled foods, flavored/unflavored, natural/non-natural gaseous/non-carbonated mineral drinks, traditionally prepared homemade pickles, tomato paste, tarhana, leaf brine, etc. “The foods contain too much salt. It should not be forgotten that these products contain too much salt when consumed,” he said.
“Keep the Salt Shakers Off the Table”
Çelik listed his recommendations to reduce excessive salt consumption: “The amount of salt a person consumes daily should not exceed 5 grams (1 heaped teaspoon or 1 tsp) and iodized salt should be used. Monosodium glutamate, which is used in the food industry and is usually listed on the nutrition label of packaged foods. Attention should be paid to the consumption of all sodium synthesis such as sodium nitrate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium citrate, sodium ascorbate, etc. as these affect the salt/sodium content of the food. added during the preparation, cooking and consumption of the meal should be reduced Even in the preparation of food due to the presence of sodium in the syntheses and salt should not be added during cooking Salt should not be added to the food food on the table and the salt shaker must be removed from the table Foods and products containing too much salt should be consumed sparingly. Processes such as washing and soaking in water can be used to reduce the salt content of the pickled products. Meat information must be read, salt-free or low-salt products are preferred. The content of packaged foods should be read from the information on the label and those with lower amounts of salt and salt substitutes in similar foods should be preferred. When eating away from home, the amount of salt in meals and foods should be learned and, if possible, prepared with less or no salt. Natural flavor enhancers such as onions, garlic, herbs, lemon, vinegar and pepper should be used instead of salt.
“We need to change our salt habit”
Continuing his explanation by saying, “Let’s change our salt habits,” Çelik said, “Three quarters of the salt people eat every day is already in packaged and prepared foods. This cannot be eliminated by the consumer, so people are telling less to eat salt is a very effective prevention when their nutritional value is covered with salt. For this reason, the salt reduction policy of the food industry is particularly important. According to the protocols of our ministry, the packaged food industry and restaurateurs have set the goal of gradually reducing salt. This year we are asking the entire food industry to stop salt consumption habits so that we can all live longer and healthier lives and we should make it our duty as all of society and policy makers to ask for and follow suit.