Last week the American Heart Association (AHA) released a list of six popular foods in the US that can potentially add high levels of sodium to a person’s diet. The list includes breads and sandwiches, which people do not usually think of as excessively salty foods. Hsu Hui-yu, director of the nutritional section of the John Tung Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to public welfare, says that since winter is upon us now, people need to be wary of eating processed foods included in hot pot meals, which usually contain high amounts of sodium, although they may not taste that salty. If you also dip the foods in soy sauce or shacha sauce, the levels of salt and sodium can go through the roof. She says people should also watch the amount of salt they use when cooking at home.
The AHA says that the chances of developing heart disease or stroke increase significantly if your salt intake exceeds recommended levels. In order to have Americans pay more attention to what they are eating, the organization created this list of six popular foods that can be loaded with excess sodium: breads and rolls, cold cuts and cured meats, pizza, poultry products, soup and sandwiches.
Hsu says that bread is different from rice because it is a staple food that usually calls for salt, oil and sugar for flavoring, adding that if you do eat bread to choose European-style breads. Although they taste sweet or sour, many desserts, including chocolate, cookies, and candied or preserved fruits, also usually have a lot of salt in them, so you must control yourself, she says.
Photo: Tseng Te-feng, Liberty Times
照片:自由時報記者曾德峰
Hsu also reminds people that the average person only needs 6g of salt or 2000mg of sodium per day. People who often eat out should work at calculating and controlling their salt and sodium intake, while people cooking at home should also be paying more attention, she says. If you have high blood pressure, you might consider buying low-sodium salt, but be aware that low-sodium salts contain high levels of potassium chloride, making them unsuitable for people with kidney disease, Hsu says.
(Liberty Times, Translated by Kyle Jeffcoat)
美國心臟學會上週公布美國民眾常吃的六種高鹽分食物,一般人認為不鹹的麵包、三明治都上榜。董氏基金會營養組主任許惠玉特別提醒國人,冬天到了,小心各種加工火鍋料,本身吃起來也不鹹,但其實大都高鈉,再蘸個醬油、沙茶醬馬上破表;如果自己開伙,放調味料一定要手下留情。
Photo: Yang Chiu-ying, Liberty Times
照片:自由時報記者楊久瑩
美國心臟學會指出,如果日常飲食的鹽分攝取量經常超過標準,罹患心臟疾病與中風的機率,將會因此提高。為了提醒美國民眾注意,特別公布六種過鹹食物,包括麵包、煙燻肉類、披薩、家禽肉製品、湯品、三明治。
許惠玉指出,相較於糙米飯,麵包是一種很需要鹽、油、糖調味的主食,如果要吃,最好多選擇歐式麵包。很多甜食,像巧克力、餅乾、蜜餞,雖然吃起來是甜或酸,其實也都添加了很多鹽分,一定要節制。
許惠玉提醒,每個人一天只需要六公克的鹽,或是二千毫克的鈉,外食者一定要節制計算,自己開伙也要手下留情。如果是高血壓的患者,可以考慮換成低鈉鹽,但由於低鈉鹽有較高含量的鉀離子,腎臟病患者就不適用。
(自由時報記者邱宜君)
A: I want to go to Neihu to see the cherry blossoms. B: Do you want to go by YouBike? A: Well, how much does it cost? B: The Taipei City Government just announced that riders can use the bicycles for free for the first 30 minutes! A: Great! Riding bikes is also more eco-friendly than driving. A: 我想去內湖賞櫻花耶。 B: 那要不要騎YouBike微笑單車去? A: 車費怎麼算? B: 台北市政府最近宣布︰前30分鐘免費! A: 太棒了,而且也比開車更環保。 (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
One of us is a murderer. The terrifying thought fills your head. There’s a corpse in the next room, and one of your fellow diners put it there. As the evening progresses, you learn disturbing secrets about everyone, and you’re forced to confess to a few yourself. You all have motives for the crime, but who committed it? Fortunately, it’s just a game. Murder mystery games are multiplayer role-playing games designed to be played over the course of an evening. The concept likely originated with “wink murder,” an amusing pastime that became popular in the early 1900s. In this game, a “murderer” kills
A: How does Taipei’s YouBike service charge after the free ride for the first 30 minutes? B: It’s NT$10 every 30 minutes within four hours. A: What a bargain. No wonder Taipei is listed by Britain’s “Time Out” magazine as one of the best 50 cities in the world. B: But I spotted a few English mistakes on YouBike’s Web site. A: I guess that aspect of it still has room for improvement. A: 台北市YouBike前30分鐘免費,之後怎麼算? B: 4小時內每30分鐘10元。 A: 真劃算,難怪台北市會入選英國《Time Out》雜誌全球最佳的50座城市。 B: 不過我在YouBike的網站上看到了好幾個英文錯誤。 A: 看來這個部分還有改善的空間。(By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/ 台北時報張聖恩)
Mullet roe is a highly-priced delicacy typically served during special occasions like wedding banquets or Chinese New Year’s dinners, where families come together in celebration. The mullet roe can be prepared in various ways. It is usually pan-fried but can also be roasted or torched. To cook a pan-fried mullet roe, soak it in liquor or wine and peel off its membrane. Then, it is browned over a low fire and turned several times. Finally, the fried mullet roe is cut diagonally and is ready to be served. This dish is usually served with garlic scapes and daikon slices, but