Eat Less Salt; Live Healthy

Assist. Prof. Dr. Ahmet S. Boşnak, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy of Cyprus International University (CIU) noted that heart attacks and strokes are worldwide one of the most important causes of death and disability, and said, "Consuming less salt is one of the fastest and most effective ways to improve our health and prevent possible heart diseases."

Noting that such risky ailments can be prevented with easy measures that individuals can take, Boşnak said, "It is known that consuming just a pinch of less salt a day prevents heart attack and stroke."

Reminding that in the statements made by the World Health Organization, the daily salt consumption per person is recommended to be below 5-grams, Boşnak also explained that the amount in question corresponds to one heaped teaspoon or one flat dessert spoon.

Boşnak said it is also important to calculate the foods that are consumed during the day that contain salt, and that, "There is also a need to be aware of this issue and we have to be careful."

Emphasizing that there is salt in almost every product we consume ranging from bread to ready meals and even salads which we consider to be health food, Boşnak said, "the amount of salt contained in the foods we consume every day contains roughly three-quarters of the recommended amount of salt that can be taken on a daily basis."

Boşnak reminded that it is not possible to remove the salt added to these types of food, and for this reason, people should be very careful with the food they prepare for themselves.

Boşnak suggested alternative solutions that can be used instead of salt, and said, "It is important to use other spices instead of salt in meals made at home, and to use products with tangy flavor such as parsley, dill, vinegar or lemon, and to avoid products with high salt content such as foods kept in brine, and to add salt with a measuring spoon."

Drawing attention to the issue of reducing the amount of salt in packaged and prepared foods, Boşnak reminded that this will only be possible based on the preferences of the customers, i.e., the consumers.

To conclude, Boşnak stated that March 8th -14th has been accepted as the "World Salt Awareness Week" and that "The activities to be held this week will be a good opportunity to learn the tips for good and healthy life, and to start applying them."