More herbs, less salt

In the third decade of August, events are held annually to mark the "More Herbs, Less Salt" Day, which this year is celebrated on 29 August.

Salt, or sodium chloride, is not harmful to the body if consumed in the right amount. It is important to maintain the right balance. The body needs a small amount of sodium for normal functioning - it is responsible for the conduction of nerve impulses, muscle contraction and relaxation, and for maintaining a proper water and mineral balance in the body. At the same time, its excessive content in the diet can lead to health problems, including weight gain and the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and strokes associated with high blood pressure.

Excessive salt consumption is one of the most common bad habits in the diet. According to the World Health Organisation, excessive consumption of dietary salt kills about 1.5 million people every year 4.1 million people - nearly 10 % of all lives lost to non-communicable diseases.

Recommended amounts of salt in the daily diet for adults and children over 6 years old who do not have serious health problems, no more than 5 grams (about 1 teaspoon per day).  The salt intake is even lower for children aged 1 to 3 years - 2 g, 4 to 6 - 3 g per day.   However, according to research, almost 90% Ukrainians consume twice as much salt, than recommended by the World Health Organisation - more than 12 g per day, which is contained in all food products and dishes consumed during the day (bread, meat and fish products, salty cheese, ready-made sauces, canned vegetables, fast food, etc.) Every day, we consume more than 70% of salt from these foods without even noticing it. And in vain, since, for example, white bread contains about 1.4 g of salt, sausage products - up to 5 g of salt, pizza, chips, salty crisps - up to 4.5 g of salt per 100 g of product. That is why limiting the consumption of processed foods with a high salt content is one of the main rules of healthy eating.

Salt should be given up slowly, as abrupt removal of salt from food can shock the taste buds and negate attempts to limit salt intake. At the same time, taste buds are almost unable to distinguish a reduction in salt by almost a quarter. Gradually reduce the amount of salt in your home cooking. Try to consume natural, unprocessed foods such as vegetables and salad greens without salt.

The use of various herbs and spices helps to add flavour to food without salt. That's why promoting the use of herbs in the diet is an important part of developing healthy eating habits. Herbs are adversely affected by heat treatment, so it is better to add them at the end of cooking or use them fresh. Dried herbs are considered to have a more intense flavour, so they should be replaced with fresh herbs in a 1:3 ratio (1 part of dried herbs equals 3 parts of fresh herbs). As for the undeniable health benefits of spicy herbs, they are used in cooking in such small quantities that their health benefits are extremely insignificant. But the taste pleasure and benefits of limiting salt intake are enormous.
So eat more spicy herbs with health benefits.

Here are some more tips on how to eat less salt every day:

• Avoid processed foods with a high salt content, so read labels carefully and choose products with a reduced salt content;
• Limit the consumption of such foods as bread, processed meat and fish products, salty cheese, pickled vegetables, ready-made sauces, and fast food;
• when cooking, add fresh herbs and spices instead of salt, use dried herbs in the form of ready-made mixtures: for example, a mixture of parsley, chervil, tarragon and chives and Provencal herbs - a mixture of thyme, rosemary, bay, basil and savory (sometimes with a little lavender), while the Venetian herbs consist of tarragon, parsley and chervil (garden bougir), among others;
• season your food with lemon, grapefruit or orange juice, or add healthy vegetable oil instead of mayonnaise or sauces;
• Add salt at the end of cooking, or even better, when the dish is already on the plate;
• Consume iodised salt instead of regular table salt, given the moderate iodine deficiency in Ukraine.

It will take time for your taste buds to adjust to less salt. But once you get used to it, you'll enjoy your food more and appreciate a wider range of flavours. And most importantly, you'll reap many health benefits.

https://phc.org.ua/news/silnicya-na-vashomu-stoli-ta-insult-u-chomu-zvyazok

https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Трави_(green)

Food hygiene specialist V.I. Nikolayets