European Union Forums

[Lorry]

In many newspapers and on the TV doctors says that its not good to use a lot of sugar and salt in food. But how about that persons who eat sugar with bread, and they just don't imagine their life without these two white ingredients?

[M.Helen]

Salt: hazard or necessity? We must recognize that the salt was, is and remains an essential food in the kitchen. How many times have we caught saying" the food is good, but that would be better with a little more salt? A man who lives and works in normal conditions needs 1-2 grams of sodium, equal to 2,5-5 grams of kitchen salt. Salt is really a necessity, but improper consumption can become a hazard, especially for those suffering from certain diseases.

[M.Helen]

The reducing amount of salt in the diet help lower blood pressure. For those dieters should be a severe restriction of salt. This boosts water retention and will only contribute to weight gain, to swollen legs and the cellulite. Most sodium amount deducted from the diet comes from salt, so additional consumption during the serving table is not necessary. But this differs from person to person, depending on the habit and taste.

[M.Helen]

Hair loss, skin without shine and elasticity, lack of energy are nothing but consequences of salt consumption far beyond what our bodies tolerate. So great care to nutrition! From where come the amount of salt that " drown our body" daily? Of course, form the food we eat. A third of bread, a second third of the salt content of other foods and last third of the salt used in cooking.

[M.Helen]

Fried or smoked meat, sausages, preserves and pickles contain large amounts of salt, hardly supported by the stomach, which often makes us vulnerable to tumors that can cause the cancer. But salt can also be an effective remedy against sore throat for example. So, put two tablespoons of natural salt in a glass of hot water, stir well and do gargle with salt water leaving to get as much on the neck. Be sober and try to think first of all to your health! Foods such as salt or sugar can become the best and tasty "friends", but also the worst enemies for beauty and health!

[M.Helen]

How much salt we can consume in a day?

Recommendations for normal consumption is 2.5 g / day sodium, 5 g found in kitchen salt (1 teaspoon). But attention to salt content "hidden" in various foods:
Sausage: 2.5 - 9 g of sare/100g;
smoked fish: 1.5 to 5 g sare/100g;
cheese: 1.8 g sare/100g;
sauces, canned: 1.5 g sare/100g.

[M.Helen]

How to reduce the salt from your nutrition?
1. Eat more fresh food. If you still opt for cooked products, choose ones with low sodium;
2. Reduce as much intake of salt in cooking recipes;
3. Replace salt with natural spices (pepper, paprika, dill, parsley, oregano, basil);
4. Use in moderation the sauces;
5. Use carefully the salt restriction. From the habit of salty taste, you tend to use more. In addition, these salt substitutes, are containing more potassium. Too much potassium can be harmful, if are any of kidney disease or if a medication for hypertension.

[M.Helen]

Taste for salt is acquired, so it is reversible
To change this habit, you can gradually decrease the intake of salt and the taste receptors will adapt accordingly. You can start by eating only one quarter teaspoon of salt per day. As you use less salt, your preference will drop and you will enjoy the natural taste of the food in question.

[Faw_Peter]

You know how much sugar you eat daily?
In addition to obesity and tooth decay, sugar and sweets can cause other health problems. Sugar is a source of energy and the average person needs is about 50-60 grams per day. Most of us, however, far exceed this dose. Specialists say that those who avoid to add sugar in tea, for example, or do not eat many sweets, can overcome, without knowing the dosage recommended as healthy. Researchers say that in the last 30 years, manufacturers have doubled the amount of sugar added to food. Besides weight and oral health problems, studies indicate a link between high consumption of sugar and affections, such as obesity or cancer.

[Faw_Peter]

Sugar creates addictive
Like cigarettes or drugs, scientists believe that sugar can be addictive. U.S. specialists from Princeton University have found that discontinuation of rich sugar diet to guinea pigs give symptoms similar to those addicted to nicotine or morphine, the rats experiencing twitter or chills.

[Faw_Peter]

Increased risk of diabetes
Knowing that a high consumption of sugar leads to weight gain and the overweight favors diabetes appear. Globally, the figure amounted to 270 million patients suffering from diabetes.The experts forecasts are not optimistic: in the next fifty years, if major changes not occur in food, the number of diabetics will double, pollution and stress favoring the emergence of this disease.

[Faw_Peter]

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that women who eat one or more drinks with high sugar content presents a double risk of type 2 diabetes, compared with those who drank less.
But neither artificial substitutes are not really healthy, experts say. The best known sweetener is saccharine, which is 300 times sweeter than sugar. Though it should be avoided because studies done on guinea pigs showed that is potentially carcinogenic.

[Faw_Peter]

Cancer and premature aging
Studies conducted so far show that people who eat more sweets and other sugar products have an increased risk of cancer located in particular in: the pancreas, skin, uterus or urinary tract. Incidence of cancer of the colon (large intestine) is up to five times higher in consumers of sweets than those who rarely eat sugar. Research has found that a high consumption of sugar increases oxidative stress and levels of body, favoring premature aging and cancer.

[Faw_Peter]

Studies on laboratory mice have discovered a link between high consumption of soft drinks and low memory capacity, as well as Alzheimer's disease .

The diseases caused by high consumption of sugar include: osteoporosis, sclerosis, heart disease, gastritis, menstrual cycle disorders, rheumatism, anemia, fatigue, sinusitis.

[Faw_Peter]

Obesity
Obesity is frequently to consumers of candy. In obesity, it seems that sweets are more dangerous than cholesterol-rich products (meat, cheese, margarine).
Consumption of sugar to children
For children, a high consumption of sugar-rich products may affect the growth and emergence of rickets or cause premature puberty.

[Faw_Peter]

Pay attention to labels!
Specialists advise us to read labels carefully, considering the fact that sugar is found among the ingredients of many products. Sugar is used as a preservative and flavoring agent in food industry. For example, only one 500 ml bottle of soft drink like cola contains 50 mg of sugar.

Attention and to the products of "light"! Some of them contain even more harmful substances than sugar.

[Faw_Peter]

Replace sugar with ...

Honey is the ideal alternative, can be used to sweeten tea or milk. Remember that honey is sweeter than sugar and therefore should be used in amounts lower than this;
Brown sugar is similar to regular sugar but darker and can be used in preparing cakes;
Fruits help to normalize blood glucose, in regulating pancreatic functions, in refining taste. And dried fruit such as raisins, figs or dried apricots are an excellent sugar replacement.

[Martin]

For me I can't imagine life without these condiments salt and sugar. Without them the food becomes untasted and you even don't have the appetite to eat this. So i think that these kind of condiments are very important in our life, but of course in a specific measure.