How much salt does a child need in their diet?

The cells in your child's body need salt to maintain normal functioning and to maintain water balance. If given too much can affect health. Reducing salt intake can be done by using less when you cook and feeding your child more fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as by limiting junk food.

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• 1. The effect of salt
• 2. How much salt does your child need?
• 3. How to reduce the amount of salt in the child's diet?
• 4. Misunderstandings about salt reduction

1. The effect of salt

The salt used in the diet contains sodium chloride as an ingredient. The body's cells need to maintain daily life activities. Too little or too much salt in the blood can affect the brain, heart, nerves, and muscles. In addition, salt also helps balance the amount of body fluids. This helps to stabilize blood pressure and not lose too much water, ensuring that the kidneys are not overworked.

If you eat more salt than you need, your child's body may retain too much water. At this time, the child will have symptoms of swelling in the hands, feet, face or big belly. In addition, children are also more likely to have high blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease or stroke.

In addition to being harmful, mosquito water is also very beneficial for your health, isn't it? You can refer to this article " Salt water gargling and surprisingly effective benefits "

2. How much salt does your child need?

Mothers often add salt right from the baby's first solid meal. That's because it's related to habits from a young age that you have learned to like salty taste. Adding a moderate amount to food is acceptable. But do not use too much salt because taste preferences of children are formed very early.

Salt in the diet can come from processed foods, especially pre-cooked ones, bacon, ham, cheese, instant noodles, etc. Or children eat them often in large quantities such as bread and cereal products. Salt is also added to food during cooking (broth, soup ...) or at the table (soy sauce, fish sauce and table salt). However, you need to consider the appropriate amount to supplement for children. This depends on the age of each child:

• 1000 mg for children 1 to 3 years old
• 1200 mg for children 4 to 8 years old
• 1500 mg for children over 9 years old

Salt is abundant in snacks.

3. How to reduce the amount of salt in the child's diet?

If your child is taking medication or has any health problems, consult your doctor before you change your child's diet. Salt is an ingredient found in many foods. So, you only need to season with appropriate small amounts when cooking. Here are a few ways to reduce salt in your child's diet:

• Offer your child a variety of foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Do not use or limit them when you are preparing food. Try seasoning a sodium-free salt substitute. 
• Do not add dipping sauce in the meal.
• Read the nutrition facts on all canned or frozen foods to see the sodium count. Foods with less than 140 mg of sodium per serving are considered low.
• Check the sodium content in snacks, even those that don't taste salty.
• Limit the use of sauces or condiments such as ketchup with food.

4. Misunderstandings about salt reduction

• On hot days, when the child sweats, the child will need more salt in the diet: In fact, the amount of salt lost through sweat is negligible so no need to add more. On the contrary, it is important for children to drink more water than usual.
• Salt directly from the sea is not considered 'better' than factory-produced : No matter where, sodium intake has adverse health consequences.
• Salt added during cooking is not the main source: In many countries, about 80% of a meal comes from processed foods.
• Food would have no taste without salt: Initially, this may be true. It takes a while for a child's taste buds to change. But once children get used to low-salt meals, they will enjoy the food more and feel more flavor.
• Foods with a lot of salt have a salty taste: Some foods contain a lot of salt but don't taste salty. Because sometimes they are added with other seasonings like sugar. It is important to know the sodium content of foods.
• Only the elderly need to worry about how much salt to eat: Eating too much can increase blood pressure or other health problems at any age.

The taste of salt is acquired through diet when young. Parents and caregivers greatly influence the formation of taste buds of children. Most children need about 30 days to begin to adjust to the change in salt-reduced diet. So you need to be patient with your child. That is the way to help children develop comprehensively and safely.