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There is a Czech children’s fairytale called “Salt over Gold”. My parents used to read me the story about how a king realized that his kingdom could survive without gold and wealth but not without salt. Without salt the people were unhappy, they were missing the ‘spice of life’. Salt adds pizzazz to most foods; it is also a necessary staple of our diet as it helps keep electrolytes balanced. There are a lot of good arguments for salt, but at the same time there are arguments that high salt intake increases blood pressure, risk of kidney disease, osteoporosis and stomach cancers. Here are some simple steps to help you reduce your salt intake:
Cook with less salt (or no salt)
Use herbs and spices to bring out the flavour of foods
Keep the salt shaker off the table
Ask for less salt at restaurants, or eat out less
Replace salty snacks with fruit and veggies
Avoid other salt substitutes: MSG and other ‘sodium’ compounds
Try a salt substitute (uses Potassium and less Sodium), but still control the amount you are using
Most importantly, avoid processed and pre-packaged foods, these are usually LOADED with salt
In conclusion, salt is good but too much of a good thing can be bad. Control your salt intake and you can live longer to enjoy the spice of life!