In the Vietnamese kitchen, seasonings such as fish sauce and salt are always readily available. They play a crucial role in flavoring dishes and reflect the long-standing culinary culture of the Vietnamese, which favors rich and intense flavors.
Salt is not only used for seasoning during cooking but also for dipping food. This has inadvertently led to excessive salt consumption among Vietnamese people, contributing to the prevalence of diseases such as cardiovascular issues, stomach problems, and high blood pressure. As a result, there is a high demand for healthier seasoning alternatives to regular salt.
Salt is one of the familiar seasonings for Vietnamese people.
In fact, there is a safer type of salt available in our country that can replace regular table salt: light sea salt. Light sea salt is being produced manually in Nam Dinh, Da Nang… While it is highly favored worldwide, many Vietnamese are still unaware of the benefits of using light sea salt.
Dr. Dương Quốc Phong (Thống Nhất Hospital, lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City) stated: Light sea salt is a natural sea salt with sodium (or salt) content reduced by 20-30% compared to regular table salt. However, it still has a salty taste due to being replaced by other components such as calcium, magnesium, and especially potassium.
According to a study by the Global Health Institute in China, low-sodium salt substitutes, such as light sea salt, have been shown to prevent heart attacks and strokes. Using light salt helps reduce the risk of death by 12%, the risk of stroke by 14%, and the risk of other cardiovascular events by 13%.
In Vietnam, one in three adults is at risk of cardiovascular disease, partly due to sodium levels in the daily diet exceeding the WHO’s recommended levels. This highlights the importance of replacing regular salt with light sea salt.
Light sea salt substitutes sodium with potassium, providing numerous benefits:
- Firstly, it increases potassium intake, which helps lower blood pressure and improve heart health.
- Secondly, studies show that replacing high-sodium salt with low-sodium alternatives helps prevent heart attacks and strokes.
However, since light salt substitutes sodium with potassium, individuals on a potassium-restricted diet (such as those undergoing dialysis) should avoid these types of salt to prevent hyperkalemia, which can cause symptoms like weak pulse, slow heartbeat, or muscle weakness and could lead to sudden death.
In our country, there is a safer type of salt, which is light sea salt.
Tips to help reduce salt consumption
Although the sodium content in light sea salt has decreased compared to before, using it should be controlled just like regular table salt. It is best to limit intake to around 5 grams per day (according to WHO recommendations).
To reduce your salt consumption, you can follow these guidelines:
- Many people add salt to food while cooking. However, there are numerous ways to enhance the flavor of your dishes without using salt. For example: Use black pepper as a seasoning instead of salt. Add fresh herbs, garlic, ginger, chili, and lemon to enhance the flavor without salt.
- Check food labels before purchasing to choose lower-sodium options.
- Opt for fresh fruits and vegetables as they are very low in sodium. Canned and frozen fruits also have low sodium content.
- Rinse canned foods that contain sodium (such as beans, tuna, and vegetables).
- Reduce portion sizes. Smaller portions mean less sodium consumption.
- Use fresh meats instead of processed ones. Fresh cuts of beef, chicken, or pork naturally contain sodium, but their levels are much lower compared to products like bacon or ham.
- Be cautious with products that don’t taste salty but still have high sodium content, such as cheese.
- Do not place dipping sauces or seasonings on the dining table. Instead, use other seasonings like lemon, garlic, pepper, and chili to enhance the taste. If you still want to dip food in salty sauces before eating, do it lightly.
Precautions when using light sea salt
Dr. Dương Quốc Phong indicated that although light sea salt has a lower sodium content compared to regular table salt, the amount used must also be carefully controlled. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the daily salt intake should be limited to about 5 grams, equivalent to one teaspoon of salt.
Light salt substitutes sodium with potassium, which helps improve heart health, but this means that people who need to limit potassium in their diet, such as those undergoing dialysis, should avoid this type of salt. Consuming too much potassium-rich salt can lead to hyperkalemia – a dangerous condition that can cause symptoms like weak pulse, slow heartbeat, muscle weakness, and even sudden death.
In summary, light sea salt offers many health benefits, but it should still be used in moderation and appropriately to avoid potential risks.
