March 28, 2024
Are you planning to reduce your salt intake? Read here why a low-salt diet is not only good for your health, but can also be surprisingly tasty.
5 Benefits of a Low Salt Diet
Are you considering less salt to use in your daily diet? That's a smart choice. Here are the top five benefits of one low salt dietwhich may convince you to embrace this healthy change.
- Blood pressure reduction: First of all, if you consume less salt, your blood pressure will drop. This is crucial because lower blood pressure significantly reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Improved kidney function: In addition, salt can be a burden on the kidneys. By reducing salt intake, you work on more efficient kidney function.
- Less water retention: In addition, a low-salt diet helps against fluid retention in the body. This means less swelling and a more comfortable feeling.
- Better taste experience: Also interesting is that less salt ensures that your taste buds adapt. This allows you to enjoy the natural flavors of food more.
- Weight management: Finally, less salt often leads to less consumption of processed foods. This can contribute to weight loss or maintaining a healthy weight.
How much salt are you allowed on a low-salt diet?
At one salt-free diet the advice is to limit your salt intake to maximum 6 grams per day. It is important to listen to your body and gradually reduce the amount of salt. By staying below this limit, you support your health without compromising too much on taste.
Also read: 7 impressive health benefits of broccoli
What can you eat on a low-salt diet?
With a low-salt diet, the focus is on eating fresh vegetables, fruit, unprocessed meat and whole grain products. It is advisable to avoid processed foods, which usually contain a lot of hidden salt. Use various herbs and spices to keep your meals tasty and interesting.
What is a substitute for salt?
Do you go salt-free food then herbs and spices are excellent alternatives. For example, use garlic, basil, oregano or a dash of lemon juice to season your dishes tastefully. These ingredients offer a rich taste experience, so you will quickly notice that you don't miss the salt at all. On to a salt-free life!
Also read: Healthy diet: these are the 3 best diets
Cooking without salt
Olga's culinary adventure started when she had to switch to low-salt cooking. This book, enriched with drawings by Peter van Straaten, offers low salt recipes for beginners, expert interviews and insights into the impact of salt. For more information click on the button below.
Olga Zuiderhoek, Ingrid Harms
Also read: Healthy sandwich spread: hummus – and how to make it yourself
Photo: Getty Images
Text: Suzanne de Bakker