Introduction: Hidden salt refers to the salt that is unknowingly and sometimes unavoidably ingested by the body, in addition to the salt that we can "see and taste" when cooking at home.
【What is "Hidden Salt"?】
Hidden salt refers to the salt that is unknowingly and sometimes unavoidably ingested by the body, in addition to the salt that we can "see and taste" when cooking at home.
【The Harmful Effects of Hidden Salt】
Hidden salt has the same effect on the body as table salt, mainly due to the action of sodium ions. Excessive sodium intake can raise blood pressure, cause blood vessels to narrow, damage vascular endothelial cells, burden the kidneys, and lead to the loss of calcium ions. It can lead to many diseases, such as osteoporosis and kidney disease, with the most common being hypertension. (Source: iMBeauty)
【How to Avoid Excessive Intake of Hidden Salt in Daily Life?】
Try to avoid foods containing hidden salt.
1) Condiments.
These include soy sauce, vinegar, monosodium glutamate (MSG), chicken essence, oyster sauce, broad bean paste, chili sauce, chives flower, and fermented bean curd, all of which contain salt. For example, every 5 ml of soy sauce is equivalent to 1 gram of salt. Therefore, when using these condiments in cooking, you should reduce the amount of salt added.
2) Desserts.
This is a category that people often overlook because some believe that if something isn't salty, it doesn't contain salt and don't associate sweet or lightly-flavored foods with high salt content. Examples include bread, biscuits, cakes, pastries, ice cream, and cheese. On one hand, the production process of these foods requires sodium-containing additives, such as baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). On the other hand, salt is needed for better taste. Many people like to eat bread for breakfast. Data shows that just three or four slices of high-sodium bread can account for about a quarter of the daily 6g salt intake.
3) Instant and Fast Foods.
Such as instant noodles, pizza, hamburgers, fried dough sticks, noodles, breakfast cereals, tofu shreds, vegetarian "chicken," steamed buns, etc. The baking soda used for leavening is sodium bicarbonate. For instance, the salt content in one packet of instant noodles can be equivalent to the total recommended daily salt intake.
4) Processed Meat Products.
Ham, sausages, cured meats, braised chicken, luncheon meat, century eggs, meat floss, etc.
5) Many Snacks.
Such as shredded squid, beef jerky, seaweed, potato chips, melon seeds, etc. Also, candied fruit and beverages. Because snacks contain many additives, many of which contain sodium (e.g., sodium citrate for regulating acidity, sodium benzoate for preservation).
6) Even natural foods contain sodium, including meat, fish, and other seafood; many vegetables, such as water spinach, bean sprouts, and seaweed, also contain natural salt.
How to avoid consuming hidden salt in daily life?
In addition, you should also pay attention to: eat fewer processed foods; control the amount of salt used in cooking (add salt at the end of cooking; reduce it further if other condiments are used); use acidic foods to enhance the salty taste (use vinegar, lemon juice to help season); reduce sugar (salty and sweet flavors can cancel each other out); choose low-sodium salt (using some potassium chloride to replace sodium chloride; generally, low-sodium salt contains 25%-30% less sodium than regular salt, but the saltiness is almost the same); eat more natural foods rich in potassium (in our bodies, potassium and sodium are like "rivals"; potassium helps excrete sodium, while sodium raises blood pressure and potassium lowers it). Eat more vegetables, fruits, lean meat, fish, poultry, dairy products, and beans, all of which contain potassium; reduce dining out; when eating out, you can rinse food in plain water.