Vietnamese people often say: “A meal tastes good only when it’s well-seasoned.” A typical meal is never without fish sauce, richly flavored soup, pickled vegetables, shrimp paste, or a little saucer of salt and pepper. Delicious, indeed — but did you know that just one tablespoon of fish sauce contains an average of 1–1.5 grams of salt?
According to the National Institute of Nutrition, the average daily salt intake of a Vietnamese person is 9.4 grams, nearly double the safe limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). More concerning is that most people are unaware that salt is a “silent culprit” driving blood pressure up and damaging the heart day by day.
To understand this, imagine:
When you consume a lot of salt, sodium retains water in your blood vessels.
This increased water volume means your blood has more to circulate, raising the pressure on your vessel walls.
Excess sodium also disrupts the endothelium (the inner lining of blood vessels), causing vasoconstriction and stiffening of the arteries — increasing peripheral resistance.
The result: Your heart must pump harder, and your blood pressure steadily rises over time. Numerous studies have shown that people who regularly eat salty foods are 2–3 times more likely to develop high blood pressure, heart failure, stroke, and kidney disease than those who manage their salt intake well.
According to WHO, about 1.7 million cardiovascular deaths every year are directly linked to excessive salt consumption.
The good news: Reducing your daily salt intake by just 1 gram can lower systolic blood pressure by 1–2 mmHg — a small change that could help prevent millions of strokes and heart attacks worldwide.
WHO: ≤ 5g of salt/day (around 1 teaspoon).
Children: adjust according to body weight, but never exceed 5g/day.
People with hypertension, cardiovascular disease, or chronic kidney disease: ideally ≤ 3–4g/day.
Adults over 60 should gradually eat less salt to reduce complications.
Many people think: “I don’t eat salty food; I season it just right.” But salt doesn’t only come from the white crystals you add to the pot. In fact, about 70% of your sodium intake comes from processed foods, industrial seasonings, canned products, and snacks.
Fish sauce, soy sauce, shrimp paste: just one teaspoon = 1–1.5g of salt.
Sausages, cold cuts, processed cheese: one small slice can have 500–700mg of sodium.
Canned foods: canned fish, meat, or soup are typically high in salt for preservation.
Snacks, savory biscuits, instant noodles: the seasoning packs contain huge amounts of sodium.
Sandwich bread, pizza, salad dressings: often surprisingly high in hidden sodium.
Your heart works harder to push blood through the arteries when blood pressure is high. Over time, this can cause left ventricular hypertrophy, leading to congestive heart failure.
Your kidneys handle most of the sodium excretion. Constantly processing excess sodium overworks the kidneys, leading to chronic kidney disease and increasing the risk of needing dialysis.
Too much sodium damages the endothelium, promotes plaque build-up, and accelerates atherosclerosis, increasing the risk of stroke and heart attack.
Switching from salty to less salty food isn’t difficult — the key is consistency. Start with these small but powerful tips:
Cut back on salt and seasoning powder by 10–20% each week.
Your taste buds will adjust in 2–3 weeks.
Replace salt with lemon, vinegar, garlic, onions, herbs, and pepper to boost flavor naturally.
Avoid heavy dipping sauces.
Restaurants usually season food heavily for better taste.
When eating out, ask the chef to prepare your dish with less salt.
Sodium is usually listed in milligrams — 100mg sodium ≈ 0.25g of salt.
Choose “low sodium” products (<120mg per 100g).
Canned goods, processed meats, instant noodles, and salty snacks.
Replace with fresh, minimally processed ingredients.
Quick reference:
1g of sodium ≈ 2.5g of salt.
Safe daily sodium limit: below 2,000mg.
Quick tips:
Always check the % RDI (Recommended Daily Intake) for sodium — choose products with <5% per serving.
Compare similar products and pick the one with the lowest sodium.
Tip: Don’t forget the sauce — it’s often the saltiest part you add last!
Many people try cutting back on salt for a few days, then give up because they’re not sure if it’s working.
The solution: Regularly monitor your blood pressure.
See if your reduced-salt diet is working: falling blood pressure motivates you to stay consistent.
Detect abnormal fluctuations early.
Share your readings with your doctor for better medication adjustments.
Opt for an automatic upper-arm monitor from a trusted brand with CE/FDA certification.
Look for a large, clear display and simple controls.
A memory function is useful to compare readings weekly or monthly.
Rest for 5–10 minutes before measuring.
Avoid coffee or alcohol for at least 30 minutes beforehand.
Measure at the same time each day, ideally morning and evening.
Sit with your arm supported at heart level and don’t talk during measurement.
Breakfast: Homemade chicken noodle soup without commercial seasoning — flavored with onions, pepper, and lime leaves.
Lunch: Steamed fish with lemongrass and ginger, water spinach soup with minced pork, brown rice. Use lime-pepper dip instead of fish sauce.
Dinner: Mixed vegetable salad with olive oil, boiled chicken breast, pumpkin soup. Fresh fruit for dessert.
Snacks: Avoid salty snacks; switch to unsalted nuts instead.
Eating less salt isn’t about making life bland — it’s about building habits that protect your heart, kidneys, and brain. A home blood pressure monitor is your honest “health assistant,” letting you know if your diet is working.
Start cutting down on salt today — for steadier blood pressure and a healthier heart for years to come.
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