Interesting facts about salt
By Shenrina Badri
Excessive salt intake, often overlooked by many, can have a negative effect on your health...
Composition of salt
Salt has two components namely sodium and chloride. The part of salt that can increase your blood pressure when too much is consumed is the sodium part.
What can a high salt diet cause?
Diets that are high in salt can cause high blood pressure. High blood pressure is one of the main causes of stroke as well as heart disease.
How much salt should we consume daily?
It is recommended that up to a maximum of five grammes of salt be consumed daily – no more! Note that this is the same quantity as one teaspoon of salt.
Remember that most processed- and fast-foods already have salt added to them, so this amount is to be included in the five grammes! The remainder of the salt comes from the salt that we may add whilst be cooking food as well as the salt that we may sprinkle over our meals whilst at the table.
How much salt do South Africans consume?
Research has shown that South Africans tend to consume between six and 11 grammes of salt daily – this is more than double the recommended amount!
Which food contains a high amount of salt?
Bread is the single highest contributor to the total salt intake of South Africans.