Chips on the beach, grilled food and margaritas may be synonymous with summer, but the fact is that we eat far too much salt. However, it is possible to cut down on salt in a relatively short period of time with a few simple tricks.
Many of us have someone in our circle who always adds a bit extra salt to their food, or even carries salt in their bag to rescue a dull lunch.
Swedes eat almost twice as much salt as the National Food Agency recommends.
Eating more than six grams of salt per day increases the risk of high blood pressure, which in turn increases the risk of heart and cardiovascular diseases, one of the most common causes of death in Sweden. Half of the country's population over 65 years old has high blood pressure.
When you cut down on salt, it only takes a few weeks for blood pressure to decrease, says Åsa Brugård Konde, nutritionist at the National Food Agency.
How do I get rid of my salt cravings?
She has a few simple tricks for reducing salt in everyday life.
Gradual reduction
It can feel easier to cut down a little at a time, so the taste doesn't change too drastically. The taste of salt is a habit and it only takes four to five weeks for the taste buds to adjust and adapt to a smaller amount of salt.
Use other seasonings
It's possible to use other seasonings to make food taste good. Fresh herbs, lemon, garlic, fresh ginger, and chilli are some examples.
Taste your food
We often add salt out of habit when cooking. Some ingredients already contain a lot of salt, such as soy sauce. Taste your food while cooking, you might not need more salt.
Look for the keyhole
Products with the keyhole symbol contain less salt and are a good benchmark. You can also read ingredient lists and compare the amount of salt in products when shopping.
Switch to another salt
Switch from regular salt to mineral salts that contain less sodium and more potassium and magnesium, which do not affect blood pressure.
Salt contains sodium, which is important for various bodily functions. However, sodium is naturally found in many foods, and you won't risk a deficiency even if you cut down on salt.
Too much sodium can increase blood pressure, which in turn increases the risk of heart and cardiovascular diseases and kidney damage.
It's a good idea to choose salt with iodine, as iodine is necessary for the body's metabolism. However, you don't need large amounts of salt to get enough iodine, which is also found in milk, fish, and shellfish.
Source: National Food Agency
