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Published Wednesday, March 4, 2020
Canada's government advises reducing salt and sodium in Costa Rican food By the A.M. Costa Rica staff The deputy minister of Health, Alejandra Acuña met Tuesday with James Hill, the Canadian ambassador, and Mary L’Abbe of the University of Toronto to discuss the reduction of sodium intake through salt in the diet of Latin Americans. According to the ministry, the goal of the Canadian authorities is to promote political innovations in sodium reduction through strengthening and evaluation of existing programs and support for new programs by a consortium of institutions from the countries of Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Paraguay and Perú. According to the Canada Food Guide, people should limit highly processed foods and drinks because they are not a part of a healthy eating pattern. "Highly processed foods are processed or prepared foods and drinks that add excess sodium, sugars or saturated fat to the diets of Canadians," said the report. Highly processed foods can include sugary drinks, chocolate and candies, ice cream and frozen desserts, fast foods like french fries and burgers, frozen entrées like pasta dishes and pizzas, bakery products like muffins, buns and cakes and processed meats like sausages and deli meats. According to the guide, eating highly processed foods increases the intake of sodium, sugars or saturated fat. Eating too much sodium, sugars or saturated fat can increase the risk of chronic disease. Higher sodium intake can lead to higher blood pressure, which may lead to heart disease, it said. Sodium is often added to foods to preserve them and for taste. Highly processed foods are the main source of sodium for Canadians, said the report. According to the report, highly processed foods should be eaten less often and in small amounts. The guide urged replacing these foods with healthier options and replacing sugary drinks with water. The guide urged not keeping such foods in the home and to seek healthier menu options when eating out. It said that people should choose less processed foods, such as baked chicken instead of deli meats and steel-cut oats instead of sweetened instant oats. The guide urged that people make homemade versions of their favorite highly processed foods by trying a healthy muffin recipe to replace store-bought muffins and making frozen dinners by choosing a healthy recipe and freezing it in meal-sized portions. It said to stock the kitchen with healthy, quick and easy options like nuts, fruit carrots and hard-boiled eggs. It urged planning meals and snacks in advance to include vegetables and fruit, whole-grain foods and foods rich in protein. Limit the use of highly processed spreads and dressings in meals and snacks, it said, urging shoppers to use food labels when buying groceries to make informed choices. The full report on highly processed food can be reached at government of Canada site.  In July 2019, the Costa Rican Institute of Research and Education in Nutrition and Health randomly analyzed the sodium content of foods sold in restaurants, fast food places, and even street foods and concluded that most foods presented high content of sodium, more than 480 milligrams per serving. Most sodium comes from table salt, which is sodium chloride. According to the laboratory study, the products were selected because of their high consumption in Costa Ricans. Researchers analyzed 20 types of different foods: seven street foods, seven foods in restaurants and six fast foods. Most of the foods prepared in restaurants, 57%, had a high sodium content, the study said. Among the foods with high content were salty bread with cheese, tortillas with cheese, stuffed sweet bread and hamburgers. Some 86 percent of food sold on the street presented a high sodium content. The most products sold in these places are fried chicken, mixed nachos and cheeseburger. In the fast-food meals, 50% presented an average content of sodium. Among these foods that are sold on the street are cheese products, meat, and corn dough. -------------------------------- Should Health authorities make more efforts to reduce sodium in processed foods? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com |
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