As per the recent study published in International Journal of Epidemiology, consumption of higher salt through food can be the cause of death. The study was published by Brigham and Women's Hospital, which suggested that inappropriate way of estimating and consuming sodium every day may help account for the paradoxical findings of others. As per Nancy Cook, who was a researcher in this topic said that sodium is generally hard to measure. "Sodium is hidden and we often don't know how much of it we are consuming, therefore, it makes it hard for us to estimate how much we have consumed from a dietary questionnaire. Sodium excretions are the best measure, but there are many ways of collecting those. In our work, we used multiple measures to get a more accurate picture." The researchers found that sodium intake can be measured using a spot test to find out how much salt has been excreted in a person's urine sample. However, sodium consumption may change every day, therefore, the best way to get a full picture of sodium intake is to take samples on multiple days. The researchers assessed results for participants in the Trials of Hypertension Prevention, which included nearly 3,000 individuals with pre-hypertension.
Dr. Namita Nadar, Chief Dietician at Fortis Hospitals, recommends a list of low sodium foods that one can include in their daily life.
5 Low Sodium Foods To Control Salt Intake:
- Bitter Gourd: Also known as karela in Hindi, bitter gourd is a vegetable used as a food and medicine as well. Other than being beneficial for diabetics, bitter gourd is a low sodium food too, moreover, it helps to increase your immunity.
- Eggplant: Brinjal , or egg plant, helps reduce cholesterol. It is known to stabilise the blood pressure levels and reduce the risk of heart diseases.
- Barley Water: Barley Water is high in insoluble fibre. It usually cut downs the blood cholesterol levels and decreases the risk of developing heart disease.
- Pear: Peer are known to be rich in fibre. They comprise a good amount of vitamins - C, K, B2, B3, and B6. Moreover, the skin of pears contains quercetin antioxidant, which is beneficial for cancer prevention and can help reduce blood pressure.
- Coconut Water: We all know that coconut water is known to beat the summer heat. Packed with nutrition, it also helps to keep the diseases at bay. It will help you lose weight and keep you hydrated. It is also known for reducing blood pressure and hence it is recommended to start your day with a glass of coconut water.
Tips To Regulate Your Salt Intake
- Keep yourself hydrated and drink at least 2 litres of water every day.
- A big no to processed food, instead go for fresh vegetables and fruits.
- Always read the labels on the product to be able to pick low sodium food.
- Replace salt with Himayalan Rock Salt, Sea Salt, etc. for your favourite recipes. Salt can be replaced from any recipe except from the ones which contain yeast.
- Eat green leafy vegetables and summer veggies.