By Lindelwa Dlamini
MBABANE – There is a need for mindful salt intake in our diets as it is said that salt access intake attributes 10 percent of cardiovascular deaths to excess sodium consumption worldwide.
To live long, a person needs to take five grams of salt per day, at most, according to health experts. This week, the world is commemorating the World Salt Awareness Week. According to many international health experts, it is essential to recognise the influence of salt on our overall health and fitness. Excessive salt consumption can significantly impact factors such as blood pressure and cardiovascular health, according to the experts.
Ministry of Health’s Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Coordinator Vusi Shabangu has also cautioned Emaswati against consuming excessive salt. He was speaking today (Thursday, May 23, 2024) on Eswatini TV’s Kusile Breakfast Show. He explained that access salt intake could cause different diseases such as hypertension, heart diseases, blood pressure, obesity and kidney diseases.
He said that implementing sodium reduction strategies could lead to significant healthcare savings, and also prevent costly medical treatments for diseases caused by high sodium intake.
Shabangu explained that there were varying estimates of the average daily intake of dietary sodium among Emaswati. He said salt intake by most Emaswati was estimated to be ranging from 2.3 to 10 grams per day, and this was significantly higher than the World Health Organisation’s recommended maximum daily intake of two grams of sodium and five grams of salt.
He added ways to reduce salt consumption at home:
1. Keep the saltshaker off the dinning table!
2. Say NO to salty snacks!
3. Opt for products with lower sodium content!
4. Reduce spices in your home-made food.
5. It is imperative to note that the total amount of sodium content required for consumption per day is just five gram (1 Teaspoon equivalent).
The world salt awareness week aims to encourage the implementation of evidence-based intervention to reduce salt consumption to protect cardiovascular health and help prevent cardiovascular disease not only in Eswatini but across the globe.
