The doctor talked about ways to reduce salt consumption 0 10

The physiological norm for salt consumption for an adult is 5 g per day (approximately 1 teaspoon). This amount helps maintain water and mineral balance, facilitates the conduction of nerve impulses, and ensures normal muscle function. However, most people exceed this norm. Women, on average, consume almost 10 g of salt per day, while men consume even more. Excessive salt consumption is one of the reasons for the prevalence of hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, as well as problems with the kidneys and joints.

When choosing salt, it is recommended to prefer iodized salt, as there is a deficiency of iodine in our country. The soils and water bodies lack sufficient iodine, making it difficult to obtain the necessary amount from food and water.

Ekaterina Troshina, the director of the Institute of Clinical Endocrinology of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “National Medical Research Center of Endocrinology,” a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences and a professor, offers several simple steps to reduce salt consumption. In particular, she advises adding salt to dishes only before consumption. This will allow for a better taste of the salt. When salt is added during cooking, its flavor becomes less pronounced, and many people “salt” their food again at the table. Try moving the salt shaker away from the dining table—many people salt their dishes out of habit, and without salt at hand, someone might not even remember it.

It is advisable to exclude salty snacks and convenience foods. Nuts, chips, instant soups, and noodles contain a lot of salt and food additives. By eliminating such products, you will make your diet healthier. Canned vegetables are recommended to be rinsed from brine, while fresh vegetables are preferable. It is also worth paying attention to salt with reduced sodium content, in which part of the sodium chloride is replaced with potassium and magnesium compounds. Such salt is much healthier. Additionally, coarse sea salt, which contains less sodium and has a richer chemical composition, is also a healthier option compared to regular table salt.

Experts also recommend replacing part of the salt with spicy herbs. Dill, green onions, parsley, celery, basil, and thyme will give dishes a rich flavor. Herbs are known for their antioxidant properties, which further strengthens the immune system. As the resource Healthy-Nutrition.rf reminds, it is important to diversify the diet with foods rich in potassium, such as potatoes, bananas, and spinach. Potassium helps to remove excess salt from the body.