Thais Consume Too Much Salt: Survey

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HEALTH

Thais consume too much salt: Survey

Duangkamon Sajirawattanakul,

Saowanee Nimpanyapayungwong

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- On a daily basis, Thai people consume twice as much salt as needed, a recent survey revealed.

He explained that the consuming too much salt every day could lead to kidney disease, heart problems, hypertension or paralysis, which in turn could lead to death.

Public Health Ministry's deputy permanent secretary Dr Sopon Mekthon on Tuesday launched a campaign for low salt consumption.

In addition, he said, these diseases were among the chronic problems that cost the country up to Bt100 billion in medical care each year.

According to the survey, Thai people now consume up to 10.8 grams of salt each day, while prescribed daily intake of salt should only be 5g.

"The 5g is about one teaspoonful," Sopon said, adding that this amount of salt translates to about 2,400 milligrams of sodium.

-- The Nation 2012-10-16

[Semper]

And before in the Northern/Eastern parts of Thailand, they didn't consume enough iodized salt which led to cretinism among the population in these areas.

Edited October 16, 2012 by Semper

[h90]

the next thing...usually the salt intake is absolute no problem. only in very few cases it may increase blood pressure, but in some it even decrease it....

[MEL1]

Next they'll be telling us we consume too much sugar and coriander!

There is a difference between consumption and 'daily intake'. Less than 2,300mg daily intake is usually fine, without affect.

-mel.

[Thai at Heart]

Most of the sodium is on the form of msg surely.

Ever seen a Thai use a salt shaker?

[davejones]

Most of the sodium is on the form of msg surely.

Ever seen a Thai use a salt shaker?

The salt is already in things like soy sauce, fish sauce, almost all process food, etc. If they don't add any, they will still get too much, as many foods are absolutely loaded with salt. Usually used but people that have lost much of their sense of taste. Also used to cover up the taste of bad food.

[Fozfromoz]

And before in the Northern/Eastern parts of Thailand, they didn't consume enough iodized salt which led to cretinism among the population in these areas.

<deleted>?

[Semper]

Most of the sodium is on the form of msg surely.

Ever seen a Thai use a salt shaker?

Yes, my wife and the shaker gets all clogged up because she use it when she's cooking her soups when the soup is boiling hot.

[daiwill60]

Salt and sugar to dip your pineapple in ????

The other day i cooked Spag Bolognese for a load of school kids. i was told that it wasnt sweet enough and was encouraged to use 4 industrial sized spoonfulls to sweeten it up. Thais do consume a lot of both, either knowingly or unknowingly, but that is only my opinion, as i am relating to my own consumption of both, and only use one spoon of sugar in my coffee and never add salt to anything, even when boiling the spuds back home in the UK. My old girl on the other hand, where salt is concerned, is another story, but she has made it to 80ish and is still going.

Edited October 16, 2012 by daiwill60

[Rancid]

Salt has a long history including being a currency (and one the Fed can't print out of thin air either). Salt was blamed for high blood pressure however the corerlation these days seems tenuous at best. Personally I use sea salt in a grinder, so no flowing agents added. Probably true the Thais are not getting it this way though, no doubt consuming preloaded with other bad crap, but easier to blame salt.

[Thai at Heart]

Most of the sodium is on the form of msg surely.

Ever seen a Thai use a salt shaker?

The salt is already in things like soy sauce, fish sauce, almost all process food, etc. If they don't add any, they will still get too much, as many foods are absolutely loaded with salt. Usually used but people that have lost much of their sense of taste. Also used to cover up the taste of bad food.

I have checked a few and not many show added msg, but not specifically salt. Anyway, I've never gone in for this idea that Thai food is inherently healthy. Stir fry, deep fry, coconut milk, palm oil, sugar and msg.

[jaltsc]

But...They balance it out by eating too much sugar

[lizardtongue]

Most of the sodium is on the form of msg surely.

Ever seen a Thai use a salt shaker?

Yes, my wife and the shaker gets all clogged up because she use it when she's cooking her soups when the soup is boiling hot.

Put some grains of uncooked rice in the shaker!

[kimamey]

Most of the sodium is on the form of msg surely.

Ever seen a Thai use a salt shaker?

Yes, my wife and the shaker gets all clogged up because she use it when she's cooking her soups when the soup is boiling hot.

Have you tried a few grains of rice in the shaker?

just noticed someone else said this.

Edited October 16, 2012 by kimamey

[Jingthing]

Some interesting info from the U.S. CDC. Interestingly, the U.S. guidelines are MUCH LOWER than the Thai ones if you are ALREADY in a risk group. I definitely believe that most salt comes from processed foods and already cooked in the food as opposed to the salt shaker.

http://www.cdc.gov/b...sure/sodium.htm

Of course there's always controversy, as indicated here.

http://news.menshealth.com/new-study-salt-may-not-be-bad-for-your-heart/2011/07/13/

Some people are more salt sensitive than others but of course most people have no idea if they are or not. Salt sensitivity is NOT at all rare though.

Sounds like it's sensible to consider eating more POTASSIUM.

Edited October 16, 2012 by Jingthing

[Joop50]

So many Thai have a tyroid problem, caused by MSG.

[fatfather]

And who speaks about "pom shulot"? In a country where I'm treated as a high blood pressure candidate because I'm on 85/145 at an age of 50+ and I have to consume all this glutamates against my will, suddenly I also consume too much salt? Not in Thai kitchen and salt is not as dangerous as it was put in the old days. In Thailand sugar, lao cao and pom shulot is a real problem

Fatfather

Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Thaivisa Connect App

[rak sa_ngop]

And who speaks about "pom shulot"? In a country where I'm treated as a high blood pressure candidate because I'm on 85/145 at an age of 50+ and I have to consume all this glutamates against my will, suddenly I also consume too much salt? Not in Thai kitchen and salt is not as dangerous as it was put in the old days. In Thailand sugar, lao cao and pom shulot is a real problem

Fatfather

Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Thaivisa Connect App

Just worked out what you are referring to. It is "pong chu rot" ie 'powder lift flavour" otherwise known as msg.

The main culprit of salt in the Thai diet I believe is soya sauce (sometimes excessively salty) and probably nam pla (fish sauce)

I

Edited October 16, 2012 by rak sa_ngop

[anotheruser]

Thailand can become the hub of diabetes, obesity and heart disease soon. Consider HIV obsolescent at this point.

[Thai at Heart]

And who speaks about "pom shulot"? In a country where I'm treated as a high blood pressure candidate because I'm on 85/145 at an age of 50+ and I have to consume all this glutamates against my will, suddenly I also consume too much salt? Not in Thai kitchen and salt is not as dangerous as it was put in the old days. In Thailand sugar, lao cao and pom shulot is a real problem

Fatfather

Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Thaivisa Connect App

Just worked out what you are referring to. It is "pong chu rot" ie 'powder lift flavour" otherwise known as msg.

The main culprit of salt in the Thai diet I believe is soya sauce (sometimes excessively salty) and probably nam pla (fish sauce)

I

Just checked our resident bottle of nam bplaa in the kitchen. 24 percent salt. So, a few sploshes in your noodles cant match a good shake of salt can it?

[hellodolly]

Some interesting info from the U.S. CDC. Interestingly, the U.S. guidelines are MUCH LOWER than the Thai ones if you are ALREADY in a risk group. I definitely believe that most salt comes from processed foods and already cooked in the food as opposed to the salt shaker.

http://www.cdc.gov/b...sure/sodium.htm

Of course there's always controversy, as indicated here.

http://news.mensheal...art/2011/07/13/

Some people are more salt sensitive than others but of course most people have no idea if they are or not. Salt sensitivity is NOT at all rare though.

Sounds like it's sensible to consider eating more POTASSIUM.

Bananas are high in potassium. But they really don't enrich the flavor of an egg over easy. Or French Fries.

[gk10002000]

The problem with high salt intake is that chemically, sodium is very similar to potassium. And when the body flushes out its salt, it also flushes out its potassium. People take in much less potassium.

[TruthEyes]

The processed foods are heavy in salt, so better not to add extra,

I always take a little extra salt when in hot humid climates to offset that lost in perspiring.

[cup-O-coffee]

And before in the Northern/Eastern parts of Thailand, they didn't consume enough iodized salt which led to cretinism among the population in these areas.

<deleted>?

I believe the post is in reference to the past, where, generally speaking, there was a big news issue over low iodine levels found in children and its relatedness to their undeveloped minds.

This article is theoretical at best. The person being quoted seems to have had his day interrupted by a desperate reporter who has nothing better to do, and this person seems to have been asked rhetorical questions about salt with the seeming intention to create alarm over a non-issue. The Nation must be hard up for practical news stories in that they have to scour the population for opinions over things that are not relevant to the status quo.

[noitom]

And before in the Northern/Eastern parts of Thailand, they didn't consume enough iodized salt which led to cretinism among the population in these areas.

<deleted>?

Thailand is one of the areas in the world ranked as "iodine deficiency." true that fish sauce and their fish paste - that awful smelling substance Thais add to everything, has a high salt content. Thais do consume abnormally large amounts of salt. The issue is whether or not that salt producers in Thailand have treated Thai salt with iodine? Statistics say no and that Thailand is an iodine deficiency area. Facts also support that iodine deficiency is a major contributor in cretinism and retarded mental development. You could say that 2 and 2 make 4 here on the salt question.

[jackr]

"The 5g is about one teaspoonful," Sopon said

I bung that much on my tongue in the morning (sea salt) after a glass of water!... opens up the airways nicely. Good for you is salt, can't live without it, and certainly in this climate. I know for sure when I'm low on intake. Agree that all the extra table salt in foods isn't great, but if you don't eat processed foods (very seldom) and don't cook with it, then you need to get it from somewhere. As others, the real problem is from refined sugar (and anything else refined), and that MSG crud!

[chrisinth]

Quick story about salt in Thailand.

When my wife was running her restaurant here we had a regular couple come in. The couple were in their late 50's, he was in the oil & gas and they had spent the last 20 or so years in SEA. On this evening they were in the restaurant, had something to eat and B, the lady had two gin & tonics. She commented that she was feeling a bit funny, got up to go to the toilet and collapsed in a dead faint before she got there.

I rushed to where she was, did the ABC and moved her into the recovery position. As she became consious, I spoke to her and asked how she felt. She said she felt OK but had tingling in her left arm and couldn't feel her left hand. We called for an ambulance immediately and got her off to hospital thinking perhaps she had had a stroke. Her husband came back a couple of hours later and asked the wife had she used MSG in any of the food as B had a bad reaction to this. The answer was no, we never ever used MSG.

What transpired was that both of them were on a diet and part of the diet was to reduce the intake of salt. They were keen golfers and walkers and had done both the evening before coming out. The reason for the faint was salt deficency, pure and simple. And this from a couple who had spent 20+ years in this climate. The lady was released from hospital the next morning (after a saline drip) none the worse for wear.

I know this is slightly off topic, but feel it is something for visitors to be aware of. If you are feeling a bit off, two simple tests you can do. First, lick the skin on your upper arm. If you do not taste salt from the sweat, then you need some in your system.

The second is to put a teaspoon of salt in a glass of water, stir it and drink. If this tastes sweet (seriously) then again, you need salt in the system.

The doctors in western Europe (UK anyway) many years ago had a mind change about sodium intake. In the services we used to get salt pills issued if travelling to hot climates. These were stopped; they were big tablets and the thought was that the big hit of sodium would do more harm than good. What they didn't say was that you still need the extra salt in hot climates!

And as a poster said earlier, there is a big difference between consumpsion and intake.

[weegee]

Years ago, the subject was about eggs not being good for you either....Now they seem to have changed their minds on that one, as it's very high on protien.

[JoePai]

Salt has a long history including being a currency (and one the Fed can't print out of thin air either). Salt was blamed for high blood pressure however the corerlation these days seems tenuous at best. Personally I use sea salt in a grinder, so no flowing agents added. Probably true the Thais are not getting it this way though, no doubt consuming preloaded with other bad crap, but easier to blame salt.

Sea salt is no different from regular table salt - it's all bad - you just pay more fro the privilage

[jbrain]

Not so long ago There was a news thread on this forum where one or another ministry department claimed that Thais had to increase the daily Iodine levels, the only way to improve their IQ level, and they advised to consume more salt.

Clearly from the OP the IQ thing worked.