(Don’t) pass the salt!

Salt is the silent guest at every meal. You don’t always notice it, but the extra flavour in a high-salt diet could easily lead to hypertension (high blood pressure), which is the single biggest risk factor for heart disease and strokes according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

More than a teaspoon is too much

South Africa has one of the highest rates of hypertension worldwide. The World Health Organization recommends less than 5g of salt a day for adults, but it is estimated that South Africans consume as much as 40g of salt daily!

Six tips to salt down

Eat fewer processed foods – the biggest culprits in South Africa are bread, polony and wors, margarine, stock, soup, canned vegetables, dressings, pickles and sauces, savoury snacks and even breakfast cereals. The good news is that new sodium regulations come into effect at the end of June 2016. This will mean that manufacturers have to reduce the salt in bread, breakfast cereals, margarine, sausage and processed meats, savoury snacks including crisps, soup powder, stock and instant noodles.
Cook at home – control the amount of salt you add by making your own meals. Use as many fresh veggies as you can and remember to drain and rinse canned veggies.
Flavour your food without salt – try swop it for lemon juice, onions, garlic, vinegar, spices or herbs.
Read the ingredients – if sodium or salt is listed in the first three ingredients, there’s probably too much of it. Salt is also found as sodium chloride, monosodium glutamate (MSG), sodium nitrate, sodium bicarbonate and soy sauce.
Check the label – some products may have a ‘low sodium’ or ‘no salt added’ version, but don’t forget, they may not necessarily be healthy if they are still high in sugar or fat.
Watch out when eating out – restaurants are infamous for salting up meals. Eat out less and when you do, ask your waiter to tell the chef to use less salt in your meal.

Seal up the shaker and be rewarded this March!

A staggering 80% of heart disease cases can be prevented by changing your lifestyle in little ways, like exercising regularly and eating better.

Do you know how high your blood pressure is? Book a Vitality Health Check today to find out. You could earn up to 12 000 points, and even more for fitness if you get moving this March!
Try a low-salt diet with our HealthyFood benefit and earn up to 25% cash back at Pick n Pay or Woolworths!

Add a bit of thought and not salt to each meal from this World Health Day!

Here are a few recipes that can help you reduce your salt intake while preparing your daily meals: