HIDDEN SOURCES OF SALT

One of the main sources of salt in the diet is the group of staple items – bread, butter or margarine and cheese. If using dry biscuit select those with no added salt.

Cheese is very high in salt. As also are potato wafers, salted biscuits, flavoring agents such as seasoning cubes, gravy powder, ordinary peanut butter, pickles and chutneys.

MINOR SOURCES OF SODIUM

Some minor sources of sodium in our diet are so called ‘sports’ drinks, mega doses of vitamin C and some soluble painkillers.

SODIUM PRESENT NATURALLY IN FOODS

The natural sodium content of fresh food does not really present a problem because it is relatively low in most foods, some seafoods being exception. Prawns have significant sodium content but they do not usually form a large part of our diet.

Protein foods from animal sources also have relatively high sodium content. As the healthy diet pyramid indicates, we should all decrease our intake of animal products. If these guidelines are followed, a normal intake of these foods fits in with the general recommendations for lowering salt intake.

Milk, being an animal protein product, falls into this group and the recommended intake for adults is 300 ml daily and generally this should not be exceeded. Recent research suggests that increasing the intake of calcium may have a beneficial effect in controlling hypertension. It is also important that women, especially, maintain an adequate intake of calcium to prevent "osteoporosis" ("thinning of the bones") later in life. The recommended dietary allowance for calcium is provided by 300 ml milk per day. Skim milk, though half the energy value of whole milk and low in fat, contains a similar amount of sodium. The same is true of curd.