Don’t pass the Salt or Soda

It can be near impossible to wean your children off of soft drinks. At times it’s just easier to give in to their demands. But believe it or not, it may be easier to reduce their intake of sugar-laden soft drinks by reducing their salt intake.

A study performed in the United Kingdom showed the reduction of salt intake in children reduced their demand for soft drinks. The study consisted on a group of 1,686 children between the ages of 4 and 18. These children were asked to keep food and drink diaries for one week to track both their salt and fluid intake. The researchers found that by reducing 1 gram of salt per day (about 2 teaspoons), the reduction in sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption was about 27 grams (about 1 fluid ounce). The researchers speculated that a decrease of 3 grams per day of salt could lead to an average reduction of 2.3 soft drinks per child per week.

6 Ways to Reduce Family’s Salt Intake:

1. Choose low-salt varieties of snacks and canned goods
2. Purchase more fresh fruits and vegetables (if not possible choose frozen)
3. Remove the salt shaker from the table to reduce temptation
4. Use lemon juice, herbs and spices to add flavor to food
5. Don’t add salt or reduce the addition when making foods
6. Shop wisely and read labels carefully

Until next time,

Dr. Mommy