Page 51 - Cook with Ease: Tips and Recipes for Small Families - Serving 1-2

Chapter 1
Basic Knowledge

Step 8: Make Healthy Homemade Sauces
Commercial ready-to-use sauces (e.g. curry paste, black pepper
sauce, satay sauce) are usually high in sodium, sugar and fat.
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) also contains sodium. More frequent use
of natural seasonings is recommended. You can prepare some simple
sauces at home during holidays for daily use.

Recommended Sodium Intake
The World Health Organization
(WHO) recommended that an adult
should consume no more than 1 tsp
of salt (i.e. 2000 mg of sodium) per
day. This includes sodium from food,
seasonings, processed food and
additives. Food ingredients, especially
meat, naturally contain sodium.
Marinating or cooking with high-sodium seasonings (e.g. soy sauce,
shrimp paste, seafood or fish sauce) will further raise sodium intake,
which in the long run, will increase the risk of hypertension.

Dietitian’s Reminder
Some seasonings that claim to be a healthier choice than salt actually contain
sodium and other additives (e.g. MSG, colourings, preservatives). Read the nutrition
labels carefully and compare similar products during grocery shopping in order not
to be misled. Serving size should also be taken into account.

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