Washington: Adult Americans typically eat twice the daily amount of salt recommended by dietary guidelines. A new study has recommended methods to reduce salt in baked goods since they are a major source of sodium in the diet. The findings of the study were published in the 'International Journal of Food Science and Technology'. The study from the University of Illinois explores ways to reduce sodium in bread without sacrificing taste and leavening ability.
"Bread is one of the staple foods in a lot of people's diets, and people generally don't stick to just one serving of bread," said Aubrey Dunteman, a graduate student in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at U of I, and lead author on the paper.
"About 70 per cent of sodium in the US food supply comes from packaged and processed foods. And the top source is actually baked goods, so reducing salt in that particular category would help to reduce sodium consumption tremendously," added study co-author Soo-Yeun Lee, professor of food science at U of I.
We can't completely eliminate salt from our diet, but we can reduce it to a healthier level. Salt is an essential nutrient, and this is why we crave it. However, we consume more than we should, just like sugar and fat. Salt is related to hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases, but it's the amount that is the problem, not the salt itself.
