Are you a salt junkie?

Find out by answering (honestly) if you are eating more salt than you should

Photograph: Ian/Creative Commons

The daily sodium consumption limit for adults is two grams. Against that, the average worldwide daily consumption per person is 3.95 grams, according to a paper in the August 2014 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The figure for India is 3.72 grams per person per day, according to a British Medical Journal study of 2010.

1. How many portions of bread/ toast/ chapathi/ paratha/naan do you eat on an average? (This includes bread used in your sandwiches.)

a) 0

b) 1 -2 per day

c) 3-4 per day

d) 5-6 per day

e) 1-2 per week

f) 3-4 per week

Ans (a) 0 (b) 0.97 gm, (c) 2.27 gm (d) 3.57 gms, (e) 0.13 gm, (f) 0.30 gm

2. How many portions of instant noodles or pasta do you eat? (A medium-sized bowl of instant products like ready-to-eat noodles, macaroni and cheese, pasta or cup noodles.)

a) 0

b) 1 per day

c) 1-2 per week

d) 3-4 per week

e) 5-6 per week

Ans (a) 0 (b) 2.07 gms, (c) 0.44 gm, (d) 1.04 gms, (e) 1.63 gms

3. How many portions of salted/ seasoned rice do you eat? (One portion is 100 gram of vegetable pulav, fried rice, biryani, pongal etc.)

a) 0

b) 1 per day

c) 2 per day

d) 1-2 per week

e) 3-4 per week

f) 5-6 per week

Ans (a) 0 (b) 1.08 gms, (c) 2.16 gms, (d) 0.23 gm, (e) 0.54 gm, (f) 0.85 gm

4. How many portions of breakfast cereals do you eat? (One medium-size bowl of cornflakes, whole wheat flakes, all-bran flakes, muesli.)

a) 0

b) 1 per day

c) 2 per day

d) 3 per day

e) 1-2 per week

f) 3-4 per week

Ans (a) 0, (b) 0.70 gm (c) 1.4 gms (d) 2.10 gms (e) 0.15 gm (f) 0.35 gm

5. How many portions of meat or fish do you eat on an average? (One portion is 100 grams.)

a) 0

b) 1 per day

c) 2 per day

d) 1-2 per week

e) 3-4 per week

f) 5-6 per week

Ans (a) 0 (b) 1.69 gms (c) 3.38 gms (d) 0.36 gm (e) 0.84 gm, (f) 1.32 gms

6. How many portions of (dry) vegetable curry do you consume on an average?

a) 0

b) 1 per day

c) 2 per day

d) 1-2 per week

e) 3-4 per week

Ans (a) 0 (b) 1.32 gms (c) 2.64 gms (d) 0.28 gm (e) 0.66 gm

7. How many portions of dal/ pulses/ lentils do you consume? (One medium size bowl.)

a) 0

b) 1 per day

c) 2 per day

d) 1-2 per week

e) 3-4 per week

Ans (a) 0 (b) 2.10 gms (c) 4.20 gms (d) 0.45 gm (e) 1.05 gms

8. How many portions of butter/ ghee/ processed cheese/ margarine/ marmite do you use on average? (Two teaspoons, or one slice.)

a) 0

b) 1 per day

c) 2 per day

d) 1-2 per week

e) 3-4 per week

Ans (a) 0 (b) 0.56 gm (c) 1.11 gms (d) 0.12 gm (e) 0.28 gm

9. How many portions of ketchup, sauces or chutneys do you consume? (One tablespoon.)

a) 0

b) 1 per day

c) 2 per day

d) 1-2 per week

e) 3-4 per week

f) 5-6 per week

Ans (a) 0 (b) 0.66 gm (c) 1.32 gms (d) 0.14 gm, (e) 0.33 gm, (f) 0.51 gm

10. How many portions of fast food or takeaway meals do you eat on an average?

a) 0

b) 1 per day

c) 2 per day

d) 1-2 per week

e) 3-4 per week

f) 5-6 per week

Ans (a) 0 (b) 1.17 gms (c) 2.34 gms (d) 0.25 gm (e) 0.50 gm, (f) 0.91 gm

11. How much table salt or chaat masala do you add to your food at the table per meal on an average? (A pinch is 0.5 gm, on meat, yoghurt, salads, chaat or raita.)

a) 0

b) 1 pinch per meal

c) 2 pinches per meal

d) 3 inches per meal

Ans (a) 0 (b) 1 gm (c) 2 gms (d) 3 gms

12. How many portions of pickles or papad do you eat? (One papad or one tablespoon.)

a) 0

b) 1 per day

c) 2 per day

d) 1-2 per week

e) 3-4 per week

f) 5-6 per week

Ans (a) 0 (b) 0.5 gm, (c) 1 gm (d) 0.1 gm (e) 0.25 gm (f) 0.39 gm

13. How many portions of savoury/ namkeen snacks do you eat on an average?

a) 0

b) 1 per day

c) 2 per day

d) 1-2 per week

e) 3-4 per week

f) 5-6 per week

Answer (a) 0 (b) 0.31 gm (c) 0.62 gm (d) 0.07 gm (e) 0.15 gm (f) 0.24 gm

14. How many bakery items like biscuits, cake and sweets do you eat on an average?

a) 0

b) 1 per day

c) 2 per day

d) 1-2 per week

e) 3-4 per week

f) 5-6 per week

Ans (a) 0 (b) 0.35 gm (c) 0.70 gm (d) 0.07gm (e) 0.17 gm (f) 0.27 gm

Courtesy: Outlookindia.com