HPB might be rolling out a marketing campaign to encourage trade and meals and beverage operators to pledge to scale back sodium content material of their dishes to the degrees in 2010.

This comes as an HPB market research confirmed that between 2010 and 2023, the sodium content material of dishes went up by a median of 20 per cent.

Calling on diners to request much less salty dishes, Mr Ong mentioned final Wednesday that South-east Asia has been the land of spices.

“We use a great variety of spices and ingredients in our food, and we use a wide range of meats, seafood, vegetables and fruits in our local dishes. All of them add natural flavours to our food,” he mentioned.

Agreeing, Ms Chia mentioned that whereas it’s arduous to not purchase a style for salt when it’s hidden in lots of meals, retraining the style buds to get used to much less salt is like studying a brand new talent.

“It takes several weeks or even a few months for your taste buds to fully adapt to the taste of less salty food. Instead of cutting (salty) foods out, focus on all the delicious foods to enjoy. What is most important is making sustainable changes to support your long-term health,” she added.

Instead of utilizing salt, Ms Chia mentioned, folks can select recent or dried herbs and spices, together with garlic, onion, basil, cumin, turmeric, ginger and cilantro, to provide meals flavour.

“Over time, you may find that your taste buds adapt to and even prefer lower-sodium options, making it easier to maintain a healthier diet,” Ms Chia added.