Salt Reduction Tips

South Africa has over 6.3 million people living with high blood pressure, one of the highest rates worldwide! According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation SA, a staggering 80% of these cardiovascular diseases could be prevented through modified behaviour –like reducing salt.

Today we look at 5 ways to reduce the amount of salt that you eat:

1. Make fresh sauces rather than using bottled ones. Although bottled sauces are convenient, they are also often packed full of salt. If you can make the time, homemade sauces using fresh ingredients are the way to go!

2. Avoid packet spices/sauces/soups or anything else that comes in powder form! Again, these ready to go options are convenient, but not always the healthiest option! Rather plan a bit – cook a large pot of soup over the weekend and portion into freezer-friendly containers, ready for quick and easy lunches during the week.

3. If you regularly use tinned or bottled veggies, such as chickpeas, asparagus or gherkins, be sure to rinse the veggies to get rid of any excess salt. These products are often preserved in brine. Rinsing the veggies before use will not get rid of all of the salt, but it will certainly reduce the amount that you eat!

4. Make time to cook fresh, homemade meals as opposed to readymade meals or take-aways. Readymade meals and takeaways are often very high in salt. Keep these foods to an occasional basis and make sure you are eating healthy, wellbalanced home cooked meals as often as possible.

5. Don’t put salt on the table! Statistics show that 1 in 3 people add salt to their food without tasting it first. Often adding salt to a plate of food is more habit than anything else – if it’s not on the table you won’t miss it!

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