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Take everything with just a pinch of salt

It’s Salt Awareness Week (14 – 20 March) – an annual education and awareness drive around how too much salt in your diet increases the risk of hypertension, which in turn increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Salt Awareness week raises awareness of the domino effect of salt-heavy foods and the very serious health implications. It is a particularly pertinent topic in Cape Town, where non-communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes are prevalent.Of the nearly 4 000 new hypertension cases diagnosed at City clinics between April 2022 and March 2023, 49% were younger than 45. Excessive salt use/intake can lead to the development of hypertension, or worsen existing hypertension and increasing the risk of a stroke. In addition:<ul><li>Many foods already contain salt (referred to as sodium on food packaging)</li><li>The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends no more than five grams (one teaspoon) of salt daily, or 2 000 mg of sodium 'It's a fact that salt and seasoning in general makes anything taste better, but not at the expense of our health. Our salt intake doesn't come only from the salt we add to food while cooking, or while eating. Many products already contain salt, like some spices, bread, cereal and even the sauces we put over our food, to name a few. So, essentially, we need to start paying more attention to the labels on food items to check for the salt content, and make more informed choices, but also start thinking of different ways to flavour our food that are kinder to our bodies, and the burden of disease in our city,' said Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia Van der Ross. According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of South Africa, salt is added to packaged and processed foods for taste, texture and preservation, and that even foods that do not taste salty can be high in salt. The Heart and Stroke Foundation of South Africa advises consumers to: </li></ul><ul><li>Compare similar products or different brands to choose foods lower in sodium</li><li>Consult the list of ingredients to see if the product contains salt or another form of added sodium, in the event that a product does not display a nutritional information table</li><li>Use herbs, unsalted spices, garlic, ginger, lemon and vinegar to flavour foods</li><li>Limit the intake of very salty foods like take-aways, soup powder, polony, sauces and salty spreads</li><li>Taste food before adding salt</li><li>Remove the salt shaker from the table during meals For more information and guidance on reducing your salt intake, visit your nearest City Health facility or visit the City's website: <a href="https://bit.ly/3IAeEK6" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/3IAeEK6</a> End </li></ul>

2024-03-11T22:00:00Z

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