Salt not only provides a salty taste, but also removes the fishy smell and highlights the umami taste of the dish. However, if you take too much, it will cause damage to the body.
For babies under 1 year of age, there is no need to add salt. Because whether it is breast milk, infant formula, or the complementary food added to the baby after 6 months, there is sodium chloride needed for physical development at this stage, and sodium is the main component of salt.
After the age of 1, you can try to add salt to your baby in an appropriate amount. It is more appropriate for babies aged 1 to 3 years to consume 1 gram of salt per day, not more than 2 grams. 3 grams per day for 4 to 6 years old, 4 grams per day for 7-10 years old, and no more than 5 grams per day for people over 11 years old.
Some people say that this is all fine to 1 gram and 2 grams, is it so important? It really is so important. If you consume too much salt, it will have a great impact on your baby's body.
First of all, it will increase the burden on your baby's kidneys. The salt we eat is processed by the kidneys and then excreted through the urine. The baby's kidneys are not yet mature, and excessive intake will increase the work of the kidneys and cause damage.
Secondly, a high-salt diet will make your baby's taste heavier and heavier. A long-term high-salt diet will put children at risk of cardiovascular disease and digestive tract diseases in adulthood.
Finally, eating too much salt will reduce the body's immunity. Because salt will reduce the secretion of oral saliva, bacteria and viruses have an opportunity in the respiratory tract, and they are prone to colds, coughs and other diseases.
So, how can you get your baby to reduce their salt intake?
First, prepare food separately for your baby.
Some babies reach the age of 2 or 3, and parents feel that it is too troublesome to cook for the baby alone, so they let the children eat together with adults.
But the baby's physique is still different from that of adults. Even if you don't cook for your baby alone, you can put your baby's dishes up in advance and then add salt or soy sauce to the taste of the adults.
When cooking for your baby, try to use the flavor of the ingredients themselves. Sweet potatoes, dates, pumpkins, tomatoes and other foods are rich in flavor. Not only is it healthy, but it also develops your child's taste buds and avoids picky eating anorexia.
Second, promote a less salt diet for families.
Eating too much salt is not good for adults, and it will increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and digestive tract diseases. Babies will always eat at the same table as adults and will be influenced by family eating habits. Therefore, adults should also let themselves develop the habit of eating less salt.
The methods of cooking can be diversified. Today it is braised, tomorrow I will try steaming; today I will fry it, and tomorrow I will try to boil it. This balances salt intake and develops good family eating habits.
When cooking vegetables, grasp the timing of salt. Put salt before coming out of the pan, so that the salt stays on the surface of the food, and it will be more salty when eating.
It's not that only table salt contains salt, but soy sauce, cooking wine, and vinegar also contain salt. 10 ml of ordinary soy sauce is converted into about 1.7 grams of salt. If you put soy sauce and salt, the salt content of a dish is very high. Therefore, when choosing a condiment other than salt, pay attention to choosing a low sodium content and try to put it as little as possible.
Third, reduce the number of times you eat out.
Outside meals often need to be full of color and flavor, and in order to make the dishes sell better, they are usually cooked with braised pork. The addition of sugar when braised will mask the saltiness, and in order to make the food taste more flavorful, the chef will put more salt.
In particular, some stir-fried vegetables, hot pot dishes, spicy foods, it is particularly easy to exceed the salt standard.
Even if you have to eat out sometimes, order your baby some stir-fried, white-seared or steamed food. Even if you soak in the water and eat it again, it is good.
Fourth, avoid the intake of "invisible salt" in daily life.
In addition to the kitchen, the small snacks of everyday life often become the home of "invisible salt". For example, the cakes and bread that babies like to eat are sweet and sticky and have a strong taste. But don't think it's only sugary. When making dough, salt is added to increase the elasticity of the gluten.
There are also some nut foods, most of which are seasoned with salt during the stir-frying process.
Some prefabricated and packaged brines, such as dried tofu, are the hardest hit areas of "invisible salt". For example, a pack of 100 grams of dried tofu can reach a sodium content of 1067 mg.
When we buy snacks, we should pay more attention to the ingredient list. If you look at it, you will find that small snacks such as soda biscuits, ham sausages, and spiced peanuts are very high in sodium. Even the noodles we often eat may have a higher salt content.
The ingredient list of a food usually shows the amount of sodium, and the amount of sodium multiplied by 2.5 is the amount of salt. Usually choose low-sodium foods, such as plain nuts, low-sugar yogurt and so on.
When mothers buy snacks, they should be a person with a heart to prevent the intake of "invisible salt".