Obesity

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Recommended Daily Allowance of Salt

205.   The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for sodium intake is 2,300 mgs. which translates into 5,750 mgs of salt (about a teaspoonful) because sodium content of salt is 40%. For children salt intake should be less than 1,000 mg per day from 0-6 months, 1,000 mg per day from 7-12 months; 2,000 mg per day from 1-3 years; 3,000 mg per day from 4-6 years; and 5,000 mg per day from 7-10 years. In fact on average 75% of the sodium in modern diet comes from processed foods, with just 10% coming from the salt we add during cooking or at the table, and remaining 15% occurs naturally in food. However, there is another school of thought that although sodium is an essential nutrient your body needs, no one fails to get enough from natural sources. They say, you only need 200 mg. of sodium a day to keep fluid in balance. Yanomamo Indians of Brazil survive with less than 200 mg. per day of sodium. At the opposite extreme, average daily intake in northern Japan is more than 10,300 mg. of sodium per day per person. Some of us in India may be consuming more than 5000 mg. of sodium a day.

 Eating Healthy and Salt

206.   Most people put in so much effort and time cutting back on their fat, sugar, protein and carbohydrates intake for weight loss that they forget about the world’s most popular and potent seasoning: Salt. It is believed that the intake of excessive salt as well as sugar and starch is the worst thing a human being can do. We have enough salt and sugar needed for the body in natural foods like wholegrains, beans, fruits and vegetables. That is why, when it comes to eating, it is wise to stick to basic natural foods. Some people are used to eating too much salt. The encouraging news is that you can deprogramme your taste buds. Unlike sugar, you are not really addicted to salt. You will lose the taste for excessive salt after eating healthy for a week or two. The key to keeping salt intake down is to avoid or eat fewer processed junk foods. Many of these foods which are rich on salt are also high in calories and fat, making them poor choices if you are trying to lose weight or eating healthy.