This way you reduce your salt intake

Because we all eat too much of this

Today is World Kidney Day, a day on which the Kidney Foundation raises awareness about our salt intake. We all know that too much salt is bad for us. But why is it so bad? First of all, with a high salt intake, you retain fluid, which leads to increased blood pressure. Additionally, too much salt is bad for our kidneys. Did you know that 85% of our population consumes too much salt? About 80 percent of all the salt we consume daily comes from processed products like frozen pizzas, microwave meals, bread, sauces, and pre-packaged salad meals. Some salads in the supermarket contain more than half of the daily recommended amount

of salt, which is six grams. It's no wonder we easily consume eight grams of salt in a day.

We know no better than to season our food with salt and pepper. And yet there are many healthier ways to spice up our plates. Here it comes:

Fresh

Cook as much fresh food as possible and avoid packaged products. This way, you automatically cook with much less salt.

Herbs

Use fresh herbs as flavor enhancers and skip the herb mixes. Often, salt is hidden in herb mixes.

Mix it up

Do you find such a herb mix handy? Then make it yourself, for one jar full:

1/2 tbsp salt

2 tbsp rosemary

1 tbsp allspice

3 tbsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp smoked paprika

4 tbsp garlic

Check the labels

Look at the ingredients on the packaging in the supermarket. Did you know there are also other names for added salt? For example, ‘sodium’ appears on a package. One gram of sodium equals two and a half grams of salt in a package. Just add up how much more you consume than necessary.

Homemade

Bouillon cubes and ready-made meals usually contain too much salt. Opt for a bunch of herbs or frozen homemade broth; those are better alternatives.

Make your own dressing

Make your own salad dressing based on fruit vinegar and spicy-tasting olive or nut oil. Ready-made dressings often contain unnecessary salt.

Grilling

Try grilling your vegetables or a piece of meat/fish. This way, your food gets a completely different flavor than when you just fry it.

Eat less bread

Try leaving your slice of bread aside. Much bread (especially from the supermarket) contains a lot of hidden salt. By replacing bread more often with other (whole grain) products (like my homemade crackers) you automatically consume less salt.