Lithuanians’ salt intake ‘twice the norm’

Lithuanians consume much more salt than is the recommended norm, dietary specialists say.

It is recommended to consume no more than 5 grams of salt a day. Specialists from the National Food and Veterinary Risk Assessment Institute claim that average Lithuanian intake is twice this norm.

This includes not only the salt added when cooking or sprinkled on food, but also that already included in food products.

The recommended quantity amounts to less than a teaspoon’s worth of salt and around 7% of Lithuanians are adding salt without even tasting their food first.

With salt being linked to health issues such as high blood pressure, Ilona Drulytė, speaking for the institute, suggested “to cultivate a habit and intentionally add less salt, to develop a new taste, learn to distinguish and find new flavours in food products. Get used to using less salt, perhaps replacing it with other spices.”

Another harmful food staple, sugar, is also consumed at twice the quantity than the recommended norm in Lithuania. Only 25 grams of sugar should be consumed at most per day as it can often lead to weight issues, diabetes and dental problems.

LRT

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