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| Halt
the salt |
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Salt or sodium chloride
is one of several sources of sodium in your diet.
A diet high in sodium increases the risk of getting
high blood pressure and stroke. Ideally, you should
consume less than one teaspoon
(5 g) of salt a day.
Where is the sodium in food?
High sodium is found in fast food, instant sauces, canned vegetables, processed
meat, common seasonings such as baking soda, baking powder and monosodium glutamate
(MSG), and foods described as broth, cured, corned, pickled and smoked. Animal-based
food products generally contain higher quantities of sodium than plant-based
products. |
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| Table
1: Sodium content of commonly eaten
dishes |
| Cooked
dishes |
Serving
size |
Sodium
(mg) |
| Dry
fishball noodles |
1
small bowl |
1,650 |
| Mee
soto |
1
bowl |
2,680 |
| Nasi
briyani with chicken |
1
plate |
1,660 |
| Laksa |
1
small bowl |
1,590 |
| Char
kway teow |
1
plate |
1,460 |
| Chicken
rice |
1
plate |
1,290 |
|
| Table
2: Sodium content of commonly used
processed foods |
| Processed/Preserved
foods |
Serving
size |
Sodium
(mg) |
| Chinese salted cabbage
(hum-coy) |
100g |
1,860 |
| Luncheon meat |
1 slice |
400 |
| Roasted peanut, salted |
½ cup |
380 |
| Salted egg |
1 medium egg |
350 |
| Ham |
1 slice |
320 |
| French fries |
1 regular serving |
200 |
| Potato crisps |
1 packet |
180 |
|
| Table
3: Sodium content of commonly used
seasonings |
| Sauces/Seasonings/Gravy |
Serving
size |
Sodium
(mg) |
| Salt |
1 teaspoon |
2,000 |
| Salt substitutes (potassium
salt) |
1 teaspoon |
865 |
| Stock cube |
1 teaspoon |
920 |
| MSG |
1 teaspoon |
620 |
| Oyster sauce |
1 teaspoon |
345 |
| Light soy sauce |
1 teaspoon |
365 |
| Dark soy sauce |
1 teaspoon |
203 |
| Tomato sauce |
1 teaspoon |
114 |
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| Tips to reduce sodium
in your diet |
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Choose fresh
vegetables, poultry and meat over processed,
cured or pickled food when cooking. |
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Be
a savy shopper by choosing products with
the Healthier Choice Symbol. These products
have lower sodium content, lower fat content
and/or higher dietary fibre content. |
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Be
aware that even products labelled “reduced
salt”, “low
salt” or “lightly salted” must
be consumed in moderation. |
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Spice
up dishes with natural seasonings such
as shallots,
onions, garlic and ginger, and natural ingredients
such as chicken bones, mushrooms, soybeans
and peanut. Avoid stock cubes and other artificial
seasonings. |
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Use
salt sparingly and only at the end of your
cooking. |
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Taste
your food before adding salt and/or sauces.
If you
must add them,
do it sparingly. |
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Eat two servings
of fresh fruit and two servings of fresh
vegetables daily. They are naturally low
in sodium and rich in vitamins, minerals,
antioxidants, phytochemicals and dietary
fibre. |
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Glutamate is
a natural taste enhancer. Most fresh food
including meat, poultry, fish and vegetables
contain glutamate. Vegetables rich in glutamate
include peas, tomatoes, corn and mushrooms.
Add glutamate-rich ingredients to your everyday
meals as they provide natural flavours without
the need for salt
and sauces. |
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| Using salt substitutes
is not the solution to reducing sodium consumption.
Many of them contain potassium in its place, which
is harmful for people with certain medical conditions.
Try the above tips instead. For a healthy heart,
halt the salt. |
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| For
more information, call: |
| • |
Counselling
and Care Centre at 6536
6366 |
| • |
Care
Corner (Mandarin) at
1800 353 5800 |
| • |
Samaritans
of Singapore (24-hour
hotline) at 1800 221
4444 |
| • |
Singapore
Association for Mental
Health (SAMH) at 1800
283 7019 |
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Website
http://www.hpb.gov.sg |
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