TOO MUCH SALT IS BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH

BY HENRYLITO D. TACIO PHOTOS BY WILLIE LOMIBAO

Stroke, sometimes called a brain attack, is among the list of the top killers of Filipinos. During the last 10 years, deaths from stroke remain high, with an average of 63,804 deaths. Thirty six percent of the total stroke deaths are not attended by any medical personnel, studies show.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) – or diseases of the heart and blood vessels – are responsible for a third of death in the country. Part of the larger group of non-communicable diseases,

CVDs account for 72% of deaths of Filipinos in 2021.

One of the reasons why strokes and CVDs are prevalent is that most Filipinos consume salt excessively. “Sodium increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and premature deaths when eaten in excess,” says the Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) in a statement.

Sodium is an essential nutrient in relatively small amounts to maintain a balance of body fluids and keep muscles and nerves running smoothly. Although table salt (sodium chloride) is the main source of sodium, it is also contained in other condiments such as sodium glutamate.

The global average salt intake is estimated to be 10.8 grams per day, more than double the WHO recommendation of less than 5 grams of salt per day (or less than 2,000 milligrams of sodium).

On the average, the Filipinos’ salt consumption per day is even higher – 11 grams (4,263 milli-

A review of salt intakes in Southeast Asia, the World Action on Salt and Health found that average salt intake in adult females in the Philippines was 7.3 grams per day, which was estimated from 24-hour dietary recalls. Salt intake in the adult population (both sexes) was estimated to be 3.1 grams per day, which was calculated from one-day diet samples and samples of commonly eaten foods which were weighed and chemically analyzed.

Why is this so? It’s because Filipinos love salty food. Most of them use substantial amounts of salt, soy sauce (toyo), fish sauce (patis) and fermented shrimp paste (bagoong) to achieve full flavor. They also love salt dipping sauces (sawsawan). In addition, they like eating dried fish (bulad).

This love for salt is understandable. After all, salt is abundant in a country that is surrounded with oceans and seas. Being an archipelago with more than 6,000 islands and a coastline of 36,000 kilometers, it will never run out of salt.

“Eating salty food is natural for all of us,” explains Meryl Louise T. Lapinig, a mother of two. “Most of us don’t have refrigerators. We can preserve our food by adding salt or fermenting them.”

Unfortunately, taking too much salt is bad for your health. “Unhealthy diets are a leading cause of death and disease globally, and excessive sodium intake is one of the main culprits,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

Eating too much salt makes it the top risk factor for diet and nutrition-related deaths, the United Nations health agency points out. Aside from those mentioned earlier, more evidence is emerging documenting links between high sodium intake and increased risk of other health conditions such as gastric cancer, obesity, osteoporosis and kidney disease.

Salt was well known to the ancient Greeks who noted that eating salty food affected basic body functions such as digestion and excretion. This led to salt being used medically. The healing methods of Hippocrates (460 BC) especially made frequent use of salt. Hippocrates mentions inhalation of steam from salt-water.

Unfortunately, consuming excessive salt is unhealthy. “There is convincing data showing that people who eat salty food excessively have a shorter life span than those who eat salty food less,” wrote Dr. Rafael R. Castillo, the health colum-