Salt Intake

[libya 115]

For those of us who live in Thailand (84% of Thai Visa posters do not). What might be the healthy intake of common salt: ie. Sodium Chloride. I exercise daily and notice that following perspiration a salty solid mass upon my body.

Understood is the health-negatives from excess salt (high blood pressure etc) but is it the same to negate added salt from the diet of someone who lives in the tropics?

Just a simple question. No need for abusive PM's to my mailbox from mad Benelux extremists.

Thanks. L 115.

[nidge]

Have you tried the electrolyte drink "Sponsor"? (the cans not the sickly sweet bottles). I drink 2 cans before i ride my bike and another one after if it's a long ride. It helps me a lot.

Nidge.

[Carib]

I go by what i feel. If starting to become lazy...dizzy..headached, it is the lack of salt.

I just take some salt in my hand some water ( doesnot taste nice) and 15 minutes later i am back to where i want to be.

On the move i buy a small bag of salty chips. This doesnot happen often, so i guess that my normal salt intake seems to be pretty good.

There is always a reason, like sweating like an idiot , because of doing things out in the sun for a too long time.

[percy2]

For those of us who live in Thailand (84% of Thai Visa posters do not). What might be the healthy intake of common salt: ie. Sodium Chloride. I exercise daily and notice that following perspiration a salty solid mass upon my body.

Understood is the health-negatives from excess salt (high blood pressure etc) but is it the same to negate added salt from the diet of someone who lives in the tropics?

Just a simple question. No need for abusive PM's to my mailbox from mad Benelux extremists.

Thanks. L 115.

Wikipedia salt

Recommended intake

Sea salt and peppercorns.

Sea salt and peppercorns.

A salt mill for sea salt.

A salt mill for sea salt.

In the United Kingdom the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) recommended in 2003 that, for a typical adult, the Reference Nutrient Intake is 4 g salt per day (1.6 g or 70 mmol sodium). However, average adult intake is two and a half times the Reference Nutrient Intake for sodium. SACN states, "The target salt intakes set for adults and children do not represent ideal or optimum consumption levels, but achievable population goals."[32] The Food Safety Authority of Ireland endorses the UK targets.[35]

Health Canada recommends an Adequate Intake (AI) and an Upper Limit (UL) in terms of sodium,[41] as does the Auckland District Health Board in New Zealand.[42]. Australia defines a recommended dietary intake (RDI) of 0.92 g–2.3 g sodium per day (= 2.3 g–5.8 g salt).[43]

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration itself does not make a recommendation,[44] but refers readers to Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. These suggest that US citizens should consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium (= 2.3 g sodium = 5.8 g salt) per day.[45]

It really does depend on your diet.

There more salt you excrete by sweating or peeing the more you need to take on.

Cheers

For those of us who live in Thailand (84% of Thai Visa posters do not).

Where did you get that stat?

[Jingthing]

Where did you get that stat?

I am guessing from the logins. Most logins are from the USA.

[sweetchariot]

I find that I crave alot more salty food than I used to in the UK. My BP (tested yesterday) is normal, so I guess I am just replacing what I'm losing.

I've even found that I need to put salt on bacon now, and do the old 'salt and shake' with Lays ready salted.

I did a bit of research on this a few months ago as I was worried it was too much, but living out here all your FSA and 'Wiki' references go out the window.

[londonthai]

even in tropics salt in the foods is enough. All the thai sauses, especially fish sause (naam pla) are 5-30% of salt and I never use salt crystals.

without causing any health problems you can gradually reduce your salt intake, the body will adjust to it - it's safer than overusing salt. Myself I do have almost an instant headache if the food is too salty.

Edited August 10, 2008 by londonthai

[mommysboy]

even in tropics salt in the foods is enough. All the thai sauses, especially fish sause (naam pla) are 5-30% of salt and I never use salt crystals.

without causing any health problems you can gradually reduce your salt intake, the body will adjust to it - it's safer than overusing salt. Myself I do have almost an instant headache if the food is too salty.

I'm having to look in to this matter as I may need to lower my BP - see my thread.

As far as I can tell there is more than enough salt in our diets to negate taking extra. If you need extra, then maintaining potassium in your diet will mediate the amount of sodium in your body. Oral rehydration salts are best. Just my uderstanding of what 've read recently.

[hanno]

When i grew up in Kenya, I was told to take Sodium tablets. A few years later, a Doctor told me that this was considered no longer necessary and I have never taken additional sodium since (and the climate here in Vietnam is pretty hot, too and I run about 60 - 70 kilometers a week and cycle up to 200). I think a balanced diet is all it takes.

[Sheryl]

Increased sodium losses, as from sweating, do indeed increase the requirement. There is a sound physiological rationale for the Thai habit of adding a pinch of salt to lemonade and orange juice...produces a very nice rehydration solution which is both tastier and cheaper than commercial sports drinks.

Nobody is going to be able to give you a clear quantifiable answer on exactkly how much sodium you personally should consume and even if they could, you'd be hard pressed to calculate your actuial intake unless you prepare all your own meals. It is quite true that Thai foods are heavy on the sodium, with most of it coming in the form of fish sauce and other sauces (soy, oyster etc) and of course that dam_n MSG.

As a simple rule of thumb, for someone who does not have high blood pressure or other medical condition that would be sodium sensitive, just listen to your body. If you feel woozy or headachy, especially on days you have sweated a great deal, take in a bit more salt. For immediate relief or to prevent this, a drink containing both sugar and salt (and preferrably some potassium) right after sweat-inducing situations: sports drinks, ORS, nam-minao or nam som Thai style (pinch of salt), or green coconut juice are all good examples.

For people with high BP, more avoidance of excess sodium is advisable but this should not go to the extreme of failing to replenish sweat losses and need not preculde the type of drinks mentioned above after heavy sweating, altho you'd best forgo the pinch of salt at other times. People vary in how sensitive their BP is to sodium, you will find out where you sit on that spectrum through trial and error.

[percy2]

Where did you get that stat?

I am guessing from the logins. Most logins are from the USA.

Really?

Just from observation , usually you have more people logged into TV during the daytime in Thailand and very few during the daytime in USA.

Would be interesting for an Admin to post some TV stats.

Cheers

[Ulysses G.]

When i grew up in Kenya, I was told to take Sodium tablets. A few years later, a Doctor told me that this was considered no longer necessary and I have never taken additional sodium since (and the climate here in Vietnam is pretty hot, too and I run about 60 - 70 kilometers a week and cycle up to 200). I think a balanced diet is all it takes.

Natural sodium in vegetable juices will do the trick easily and safely. The "water" from a young coconut is better than sports drinks and tastes great too.

[hanno]

The "water" from a young coconut is better than sports drinks and tastes great too.

Totally agree

[Naam]

The "water" from a young coconut is better than sports drinks and tastes great too.

Totally agree

besides that it tastes like stale pee i agree too

[hanno]

besides that it tastes like stale pee i agree too

Well, I find it goes down better when cold.

[Ulysses G.]

The "water" from a young coconut is better than sports drinks and tastes great too.

Totally agree

besides that it tastes like stale pee i agree too

Maybe you are not getting green ones? They are sweet, not salty!

[mark100]

For those of us who live in Thailand (84% of Thai Visa posters do not). What might be the healthy intake of common salt: ie. Sodium Chloride. I exercise daily and notice that following perspiration a salty solid mass upon my body.

Understood is the health-negatives from excess salt (high blood pressure etc) but is it the same to negate added salt from the diet of someone who lives in the tropics?

Just a simple question. No need for abusive PM's to my mailbox from mad Benelux extremists.

Thanks. L 115.

Hi work as a personal trainer so l will try to give you some helpful advice with regards to your salt intake.

ln cold countries of the west the average recommended daily intake for salt is approx 2.5 g, but this amount does vary depending on which country you live in. For a normal sedentary person living in Thailand eating a thai or falang diet there would be no need to consume extra salt in the diet, because the chances are you are consuming 2 -3 times the recommended allowance.

Now if you exercise normally for approx 1 hour a day in an air conditioned gym then consuming extra salt would probably not be necessary, if however you are doing vigorous exercise or you are training outside then it is worth considering how much salt you might excrete through sweating. You can lose between 1 - 2g of salt per litre of fluid lost during intense exercise, and if you are exercising for prolonged periods as endurance atheletes do, then it is imperative to replace the lost salt.

l myself run triathlons, and l have a 12 hour 30 mile run / 150 mile cycle / 5 mile row coming up for charity in Sept and l'm expecting to add approx 6-10g of salt to my exercise drinks during the event.

Salt or Sodium Chloride is an electrolyte and is essential for balancing fluid levels in the cells and various other essential functions for maintaining homeostatisis, that is a normal healthy functioning body.

One other problem to watch out for if you are doing endurance exercise is that if you keep drinking water without adding salt you will dilute the concentration of sodium in the blood, which can lead to a condition called Hyponatremia which is low blood sodium levels and can prove fatal.

There are various sports drinks on the markets that will help you to maintain healthy electrolyte levels and are readily available from shops in Pattaya and Bangkok. lf you are doing moderate amount of exercise l would not worry too much about salt because chances are your diet is taking care of your needs.

Sorry if l bored everyone one with my post !!!!!

[mommysboy]

For those of us who live in Thailand (84% of Thai Visa posters do not). What might be the healthy intake of common salt: ie. Sodium Chloride. I exercise daily and notice that following perspiration a salty solid mass upon my body.

Understood is the health-negatives from excess salt (high blood pressure etc) but is it the same to negate added salt from the diet of someone who lives in the tropics?

Just a simple question. No need for abusive PM's to my mailbox from mad Benelux extremists.

Thanks. L 115.

Hi work as a personal trainer so l will try to give you some helpful advice with regards to your salt intake.

ln cold countries of the west the average recommended daily intake for salt is approx 2.5 g, but this amount does vary depending on which country you live in. For a normal sedentary person living in Thailand eating a thai or falang diet there would be no need to consume extra salt in the diet, because the chances are you are consuming 2 -3 times the recommended allowance.

Now if you exercise normally for approx 1 hour a day in an air conditioned gym then consuming extra salt would probably not be necessary, if however you are doing vigorous exercise or you are training outside then it is worth considering how much salt you might excrete through sweating. You can lose between 1 - 2g of salt per litre of fluid lost during intense exercise, and if you are exercising for prolonged periods as endurance atheletes do, then it is imperative to replace the lost salt.

l myself run triathlons, and l have a 12 hour 30 mile run / 150 mile cycle / 5 mile row coming up for charity in Sept and l'm expecting to add approx 6-10g of salt to my exercise drinks during the event.

Salt or Sodium Chloride is an electrolyte and is essential for balancing fluid levels in the cells and various other essential functions for maintaining homeostatisis, that is a normal healthy functioning body.

One other problem to watch out for if you are doing endurance exercise is that if you keep drinking water without adding salt you will dilute the concentration of sodium in the blood, which can lead to a condition called Hyponatremia which is low blood sodium levels and can prove fatal.

There are various sports drinks on the markets that will help you to maintain healthy electrolyte levels and are readily available from shops in Pattaya and Bangkok. lf you are doing moderate amount of exercise l would not worry too much about salt because chances are your diet is taking care of your needs.

Sorry if l bored everyone one with my post !!!!!

No way you bored anyone, great posting, very informative.

I feel ok after doing moderate exercise - 20 min fast jog/run at 35 degrees typically, even though I am sweating like a trooper. Besides one quick Thai takeaway and I'm sure I've consumed enough salt to last me the week.

[percy2]

Where did you get that stat?

I am guessing from the logins. Most logins are from the USA.

FWIW

Thaivisa.com users come from these countries:

Thailand31.3%

United States15.3%

India6.5%

United Kingdom6.5%

Cambodia2.9%

Cheers

[mommysboy]

Where did you get that stat?

I am guessing from the logins. Most logins are from the USA.

FWIW

Thaivisa.com users come from these countries:

Thailand31.3%

United States15.3%

India6.5%

United Kingdom6.5%

Cambodia2.9%

Cheers

Interesting. So I assume the other 40% or so are just dribs and drabs!! I guess the US and UK you'd expect, but India is a surprise.

[percy2]

I wonder if a large proportion of "users" from USA and India could be bots etc.

Cheers