Chemical Engineering in Daily Life – Question 19: How much salt should you consume? Standard answer already available

It seems to be related to weight, as well as to one’s occupation; those who do physical labor need to consume more salt

D. 8 grams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I remember it was 5 grams; it should be said that this is a **guideline price – there’s no specific specification, as it varies from person to person.

It should be around 5g, for adults

How much salt should you consume per day? (E) A. 1 gram B. 2.5 grams C. 5 grams D. 8 grams E. 10 grams F. 12.5 grams G. 15 grams Analysis: Nutritionists recommend that 5 grams per day be the appropriate intake for each person. However, it should be noted that soy sauce contains salt, pickled vegetables contain salt, and salt is also present in salted duck eggs eaten for breakfast; all of this salt needs to be taken into account. So, saying 5 grams of salt per day is really difficult for ordinary people to adhere to; nutritionists probably can’t turn one’s kitchen into a chemistry laboratory to determine exactly how much salt can be consumed in a day. However, a survey conducted by the Chinese Nutrition Society showed that residents in the northern part of China consume approximately 15–18 grams of salt per day per person, while those in the southern part consume around 10–12 grams. Based on this survey, we need to reduce our current salt consumption by at least half. Perhaps many people will ask: what to do if too little salt is used and the food becomes bland? In fact, whether to eat salty or mild food is a matter of *habit. For the sake of health, habits should be changeable; we might as well put more effort into cooking.

The amount of salt consumed is probably not fixed every day either; it should vary within a certain range. More salt is likely to be consumed in summer than in winter.

The question posed by the original poster is quite interesting, hehe. However, it seems that you haven’t specified whether it’s a Chinese person or an American, which makes it difficult to choose an answer. . . ;P According to China’s Dietary Guidelines (the 2007 version issued by the Nutrition Society, which are officially recommended), the amount should be less than 6 grams. Based on surveys from 2002, China’s average salt consumption was around 12 grams, which exceeds the recommended level. If it’s Chinese, then choose 5 grams.

If there is a similar guide in the United States, it is likely that the guide issued by the Chinese Nutrition Society was plagiarized from it. . The current average salt intake per person in the United States is 3.4 grams, with the Nutrition Society recommending that this amount be reduced to 2.3 grams. Some even suggest further reducing it to 2.3 grams in order to decrease the incidence of cardiovascular diseases; therefore, a suitable figure would be 2.5 grams. . It’s not possible to make a proper comparison between the amount of salt consumed by Americans and that consumed by Chinese people. Those who have cooked at home know that Chinese people tend to waste a lot of food in their diets – there’s often some salt left in the pan after cooking, and a significant amount of food that’s prepared but not eaten ends up being discarded. Therefore, the figure of 12 grams of salt per person for Chinese people is inaccurate (calculated by dividing the total salt consumption by the population). It’s easy to determine the total amount of salt consumed, but it’s harder to determine the population size (especially considering those who are mobile). Additionally, it’s difficult to account for the amount of food that’s wasted, such as leftover dishes. When a group of people eat at a restaurant, how much salt is actually used compared to how much is wasted? In restaurants, it’s probably a mystery forever what table of people really eats nothing left, just like Americans do – the actual consumption figures. . . Once, on a train, I discussed this issue with an elderly female professor from XX Medical University as well as several doctors and masters. I directly asked the old lady, Do you cook at home? Definitely not. The nutritional guidelines are formulated based on the habits of Westerners; they don’t suit China’s actual conditions, so they can’t be applied mechanically. Since there is significant waste in China, the amounts consumed and those expended need to be supported by actual data. Detailed work is required. I told her that for example, when people in Sichuan eat, salt is added directly to the soup – but how should the salt content in pickles be calculated? How to calculate the salt amount for pickled vegetables? How is the salt content in soy sauce and fermented tofu calculated? What is the approximate proportion of the spilled food? How much remains in the pot while cooking? Without clarifying all these aspects and simply applying foreign data indiscriminately, that is not an approach that reflects rigor in academic work. . . . These words made the old lady’s face turn pale and blue in turn. . . .

This post was last edited by yjqin1 on 2015-8-20 at 11:42. New York City recommends that residents consume at least 2.5 grams per day; this amount should be increased during physical exercise, and even more for those engaged in heavy physical labor. The average amount for adults in my family is 4 grams (including meals out and pickled foods). In our company’s basic laboratory, there are several small containers, each containing 2.5, 5, 8, 10, 12, and 15 grams of salt. The salt is fine powder purchased from a supermarket, and it is not clumped nor has it absorbed any moisture. 42 science and engineering staff members were left to decide for themselves whether to take salt. Also, I can’t eat at the student cafeteria or street stalls – it’s way too salty!