Salt and Sugar in Diet and Health and How to Eat Healthily

Some people have a 'sweet tooth' loving chocolate and sugary treats. The sugar in your sugar bowl may be sweet, but I have to say that it's also a dangerous food which could be a threat to your health. Yes, sugar gives you calories. But it is absolutely free of protein, vitamins and minerals.

Sugar in the Diet

Sugary foods that stick to the teeth cause dental decay. Fat people who give up the sugar they eat WILL lose weight. Just as a child who avoids sweets and biscuits will have less dental decay.

But if you're wanting to give up sugar, what are the other alternatives? Another sweetener is saccharine which can be used in tea, coffee and cooking. There is, of course, the possibility of sometimes using honey instead of sugar. Bear in mind though: the body can do very well without any sugar at all added to any foods or drinks.

Salt, Diet and Health

From sugar, we move on to salt. Now salt IS an essential to life and it is used very widely to enhance the natural flavours of food. Most foods such as bread, cornflakes, canned vegetables, corned beef, ham, bacon, sausages, fish, salted butter and bottled sauces contain salt. It is actually an important and ancient method of preserving food.

But how much salt do we need each day? Well this is difficult to estimate but an average daily intake is usually between 5 and 12 grams. Sometimes, you may feel very thirsty after eating a salty meal and you'll drink large quantities of liquid to quench your thirst. This in fact, is the body's way to compensate for the extra salt.

If you are dieting, you might think that you should restrict your salt intake but there is no evidence that this is a good idea. Salt retention is sometimes accompanied by water retention but the amount of water retained by taking ordinary amounts of salt is small compared with the amount of fat which is what the slimmer should be concerned with.

Foods that are high in fibre generally require more chewing and that can be a slimming advantage. Fibre is only found in plants and comes mainly from the plant cell walls. It is an important part of our daily diet because it stimulates the digestive system, helps prevent constipation and helps reduce the risk of digestive disorders.

But you don't have to obtain your dietary fibre from bran alone. Fresh fruit actually provides a diluted form of dietary fibre. Fibre is also found in wholemeal bread, beans in tomato sauce, porridge oats, frozen peas and carrots to name but a few.

Tips for Healthy Eating ~

Try eating more wholemeal bread. Eat more brown rice as well as plenty fruit and vegetables.

Gradually reduce the amount of salt you add to food and avoid eating too many crisps, nuts and other salty snacks.

Remember to look at the foods that give you the most added sugars. Try low-sugar varieties of soft drinks or mineral water and if you choose fruit juice, dilute it with sparkling or still mineral water.

Sources:

"The Healing Power of Food: Healthy Eating the Natural Way" (Readers Digest Association 1999)

Bruce E, "Living Foods for Radiant Health" Thorsons (2003)