The World Health Organization recommends a consumption of less than 5 grams of salt per day. Yet the French ingest average 8 to 9 grams. Over-consumption that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

The harmful effects of salt on our body

It is ignored too often, but consuming too much salt can cause many diseases. This condiment can indeed be the cause of hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, growth disorders in the youngest or stomach cancer. Especially as the salt found in large quantities in many everyday food products (bread, cold cuts, cooked dishes ...).

According to ANSES, the salt we add to our dishes represents only one to two grams of our daily consumption. Also to reduce our salt intake, it is important to be vigilant when carrying out our food shopping.

For a return to a healthier and balanced diet, here are 3 foods to avoid as much as possible.

Foods to avoid to reduce salt intake

• The charcuterie

It's the cute sin of many French people. Yet sausages, in addition to being a fatty food is naturally rich in salt: a single slice of sausage can contain 1 g of sodium ... Better to restrict its consumption of sausages to limit your salt intake.

• Cheese

Rest assured, some cheeses are less salty than others, so you can continue to consume ... a little! Because cheese is also a fatty food and therefore to consume with moderation. Remember: overall, hard cheeses (eg emmental, beaufort) are significantly less salty than soft cheeses (eg camembert, morbier). There are also very low sodium cheeses for diets without salt .

• Prepared dishes

They are faster to prepare and we believe even more balanced ... wrong! Indeed, prepared dishes often contain salt "hidden" that is to say already present before cooking food. Check the labels and prefer fresh frozen foods from unprepared vegetables. Processed products are added to salt, hence our overconsumption. It is therefore better to focus on raw foods and salt them once: either at the time of cooking or at the time of tasting.

Salt: use sparingly or replace

Salting our food before we even taste it is a serious mistake that drives us to add too much during cooking and on our plate! Rather get into the habit of tasting your dishes before salting. Also remember to use spices and herbs in your dishes: parsley , turmeric, tarragon ... They will give enough flavor to your dishes to dispense with adding salt!

Last option: replace salt with diet salt free of sodium chloride. This diet salt is unfortunately not suitable for everyone because of its high potassium content: it is particularly incompatible with certain kidney diseases. Ask your doctor for advice before using it.