Low Salt Consumption?

Eric_Pisch

How much salt should we eat, I have found a lot of conflicting info, the FSA recommend 6g max, other agencies say 1,500-2,400mg a day.

The reason that I ask is that for the last 3 months I have avg'd just 300mg a day (0.3g), everything I eat is logged so this is pretty accurate.

I also exercise for 40 mins a day and sweat quite heavily

Do I need to start eating salt?

maysmummy

Eric_Pisch wrote: »

Do I need to start eating salt?

No

I would be very surprised if you managed to reduce your salt to 0.3g per day. You may only be having 0.3g added salt - which is still impressive- but I am wondering if you are thinking that sodium and salt are the same. They aren't.
Roughly doubling the sodium content of food gives an approximate equivalence with salt.

On the plus side, there is no minimum salt intake as it is virtually impossible to eat less salt than you need.

Your BP must be in your boots!:)

Eric_Pisch

maysmummy wrote: »

No

I would be very surprised if you managed to reduce your salt to 0.3g per day. You may only be having 0.3g added salt - which is still impressive- but I am wondering if you are thinking that sodium and salt are the same. They aren't.
Roughly doubling the sodium content of food gives an approximate equivalence with salt.

On the plus side, there is no minimum salt intake as it is virtually impossible to eat less salt than you need.

Your BP must be in your boots!:)

thanks for that

so the figures for salt on a packet are added salt not naturally occurring salt? In that case could they not cheat by adding an ingredient that naturally has a high salt content?

and yep I am now confused on the sodium salt thing :rotfl:

and my BP would probably be low if i was not the size of two shreks spooned into a wetsuit

ahhh the 2,400mg is of sodium a day!

eamon

I'm trying to have less added salt (sodium) in my diet. It is difficult. Practically all processed food has added salt. You need to read the labels. For example a slice of bread or one medium pitta bread contains 0.5g of salt equalling 8% of the GDA (Guidline Daily Amount). So 4 slices of bread and you are already at 1/3 of the GDA. Start chucking in processed toppings etc and you get over the 6g max GDA very quickly. I've never seen the need to add salt when cooking food (or at the table, except fish & chips and boiling veg). If you are using reasonable ingredients and can cook then it shouldn't be necessary. Vegetables & meat already contain sufficient salt. If you are doing heavy exercise or have diahorrea then some added salt may be needed but even that is debatable. I despair at the TV chefs and the huge amounts of salt that they add. Something I must try is baking bread without salt though I've always made pastry without salt. Lastly to have more control cut out the ready made meals, chinese & indian takeaways.

BitterAndTwisted

I think sometimes we worry too much. I certainly don't chuck salt around like confetti but there are some things which I find inedible without it like potatoes, tomatoes and eggs. I'd rather give them up completely than eat them saltless