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Studies indicate that high salt intake can have detrimental effects on blood pressure. Over time, this can lead to hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. To lower the risk of developing a heart disease by 25 per cent and that of mortality due to this by 20 per cent, it is imperative to restrict dietary intake of salt.

As per recent figures by the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), salt intake among Indian adult Indians is high. It exceeds the levels recommended by the WHO.

In Delhi and Haryana, it is 9.5 g per day and 10.4 g per day in Andhra Pradesh. This can be a risk factor especially in those with a family history of high blood pressure or heart disease.

Some recommendations from Heart Care Foundation of India:

• Reduce salt intake as much as possible, lower the better. Add only normal amounts of salt when cooking.
• Avoid eating preserved and packaged foods as much as possible.
• Ask about salt added to food, especially at restaurants. Most restaurant chefs will omit salt when requested.
• Remember the word ‘Na’, which is present in many drugs, soda etc.
• Nothing can be preserved without adding salt to it, therefore beware of processed and frozen fruits.
• Remember that it takes three months of a salt-free diet to get adjusted to it and ultimately start liking it.