Sodium Chloride or common salt is very fundamental to life. Salt is one of the basic taste that is biologically required. We have the capacity to consume salt more that it is required for the body. In fact we are facing the ill effects of excess intake of salt in form of Hypertension.
We should get in to the habit of reducing our salt intake to maintain a healthy and fit life. Although reducing the salt intake is not that easy as we get used to the salty taste right from our childhood. Over a period of time our taste buds would get used to the reduced salt taste and the craving will also wade off. Most of our favourite foods like fried snacks, dried fish, curried meat, pickles contain salt in large amounts. Any food for that matter contains salt for primary flavoring.
Bringing down the salt intake to approximately 6 grams/day will have beneficial effect on blood pressure. Although the effect is very minimal it may be enough in many cases to have and additive effect on the drugs prescribed for hypertension.
The best way to reduce the intake of salt is to consume more of fresh fruits and vegetables which need not be cooked. These foods increase the intake of potassium, which reduces the blood pressure. One should definitely keep a check on consumption of packaged foods which contain salt and baking soda which are high in sodium. Try to add salt on the table while eating rather than while cooking this may help reduce the intake. Try to add herbs, lime, tamarind, mangoes to reduce the salt content of the dish.
Be cautious about your Chinese food intake, as the Mono Sodium Glutamate present in Soya sauce a prime flavoring agent in the Chinese food, contains high amounts of sodium.