Kokova Magazine

With the 'Salt and Men's Health' theme of World Salt Awareness Week 2011 (21st to 27th March), The Source took a more in-depth look at salt and tried to discover where enough spills into too much.

Why do we have such a big problem in the UK with consuming too much salt?

Why are we consistently reminded of how these little white grains affect our lives and the impact too much can have on our health?

Is this a real issue or just the same old tired lament?

And are we in danger of reducing our salt intake to levels so low that they could have the opposite health effect?

We are all probably aware that too much salt is bad for us. Since we are frequently hearing this through the media, on TV and through our local surgery, as with a lot of other topics, many will roll their eyes and think no more than "We already know."

Do we ever hear that too little salt could affect our health? Or get bombarded with advice on why we should have salt in our diet? Or what the salt we use contains?

We are going to take a look at some of the positive and negative effects salt has on our bodies and leave you with, we hope, a little more information and some fresh ideas for taking control of how much and what type of salt you choose to eat.

Do we know enough?

Did you know that a high intake of salt can lead to health problems incorporating strokes, heart disease, osteoporosis, stomach cancer, obesity, kidney stones and kidney disease?

A large number of people will no doubt remove the salt shaker from their table or use it in moderation, feeling reassured in the knowledge that they are lowering their salt intake to an acceptable level.

Unfortunately this is not always enough and depending on the type of diet you consume the 'hidden salt' may be taking your daily recommended allowance way over the top.

Processed food is one of the main areas where too much salt is hidden away and with more people opting for fast, convenient meals to suit their hectic lifestyles or ever tightening budget, the salt levels being consumed here in the UK are rising to their highest yet.

Most people do not even realise they are eating too much salt. Up to 75% of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy and only a small amount is added to our food at home.

The rise in the availability of processed foods has led to more sodium being included in what we eat and could be causing a mineral imbalance.

The minerals within the body need to be balanced and by the intake of more sodium we are leaving out the other essential minerals we need that work with sodium, to regulate water balance and nerve and muscle impulses.

The more sodium we eat, the more potassium and magnesium we will need.

Since few of us eat enough of these other minerals but consume high amounts of sodium this can cause problems such as potassium and magnesium deficiency, which in turn can cause nerves to become over stimulated making you feel more anxious and also lead to muscles becoming tight.

Remember, your heart is a muscle too - one that you need to take care of.

But which salt?

Not all salt is the same.

Unfortunately the over processed table salt consists of very little other than Sodium and Chloride. In the list of ingredients on a lot of packaged and processed food you will see this listed as sodium chloride rather than salt.

Unrefined rock salt can contain more than 84 different minerals, giving it a more natural flavour and adding health benefits beyond what is being per-added to your shopping items and the contents of your salt shaker.

Could this stripping away of minerals be accountable for some of the health issues being attributed to the higher intake of salt in these modern times?

Maybe we would be better advised to look at the type of salt we consume rather than just being hounded into reducing our salt intake, something many people find hard to do, especially when they feel their food is left bland and with little taste when cooked without.

However, any salt, good or bad, in large quantities is ill advised so being careful and trying to keep to under the 6g a day recommendation is something we could all benefit from as adults.

With children the recommendations are much reduced and it is worth bearing in mind what you may find acceptable is often too high for children to tolerate.

It may also be worth thinking about how we shape our future generations taste-buds and by giving them a diet too rich in salt we could be making it even harder for them as adults to try and change the way they prefer their food to taste.

So what can you do to reduce the salt in your diet?

A good place to start is to find a better quality of salt.

By ensuring your salt is 'good' salt you are including much needed minerals back into your diet.

Trying to eat fresh food produce over processed foods is another way to keep control of what salt is being added in.

That doesn't mean you have to radically change all the items you buy or spend forever in the aisles looking for something different.

Most food labels now clearly state the salt content in the ingredients so a quick check before dropping it into your trolley may be enough to have you returning the item to the shelf and selecting an alternative.

The majority of supermarkets today have more low salt alternatives to offer.

Try cutting out those fizzy drinks and packets of crisps in favour of a longer pause in the fresh fruit section.

Whilst a quick processed snack can stave off the hunger, a natural sugar alternative in the form of fruit or (for something more savoury) unsalted nuts will have a much longer effect and also be more beneficial in your diet.

With such an array of shelled nuts available in small packages it is easy to grab a bag and you won't need to have your nutcrackers handy or countless shells to contend with.

As the country finds itself tightening its belt, financially the pre-packaged ready meals with a higher salt content may seem more appealing to your pocket and with everyone in such a rush, the time factor comes into play but getting the family together for some quality time can be a real winner when preparing fresh food for the week.

Some modern farming methods have led to our fruit and vegetables having less mineral content and this is why sourcing good quality (not always the most expensive) produce can assist in improving our diets and health.

Buying good quality fresh ingredients and making more than one dish, ready to freeze for the week, ensures you have your very own 'ready meals' that contain just the ingredients you want to include.

All of which can be ready to cook when time is short and really could work out more economically in the long run.

When is too little a health risk?

We do need salt in our diets as it can aid health and healing in many ways. Too little salt, although rare in the UK due to the hidden salts contained in a lot of foods we have available, can be as damaging to our health as too much.

Modern table salt is unhealthy when compared to purer forms of salt; where all the minerals are still contained and can actually have some positive health benefits.

Insufficient sodium can unbalance the body’s systems. Symptoms of this can include cramps, weakness, nausea, fatigue and mental confusion.

What do YOU think?

While writing this article it has become apparent to our team at The Source that not enough or only select information regarding salt could add to the confusion that leaves some people less inclined to pay any attention.

We welcome any comments you may have regarding this article and/or your experiences relating to salt in your diet.

Are you on a restricted salt intake?

Do you feel you couldn't give up the salt you use in cooking?

Would you consider the benefits of changing to a different type of salt?

Simply log in or register to leave a comment below.

CASH

Consensus Action on Salt and Health is a group concerned with salt and its effects on health. Each year CASH organises Salt Awareness Week to help raise awareness about the damaging effect of too much salt. Salt Awareness Week has now been running for 11 years with each year having a difference theme.

This year they are focusing on the topic of 'Salt and Men’s Health’.

This topic was identified as a result of UK research which showed that more men prematurely die of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than women. CVD accounts for 29% preventable deaths in men (compared to 21% in women). The research shows that men eat more salt than women and on average have a higher blood pressure than women, particularly at a younger age, and are less likely to have their blood pressure measured, to take action to reduce it when it is raised or to take blood pressure lowering drugs.

CASH

For more information visit www.actiononsalt.org.uk