Ingesting a lot of salt increases blood pressure. People with high blood pressure damage their blood vessels and are more likely to develop cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. However, salt makes food taste good. Salt is an essential part of Japanese food culture. People who are accustomed to a delicious food culture do not easily change their habits. An interesting survey of salt intake, which is said to be bad for cardiovascular disease, compares Fukushima Prefecture and Akita Prefecture. The salt intake of both prefectures is in the top five. Normally, both prefectures would be ranked as prefectures with a high number of cardiovascular diseases. As expected, Fukushima women’s cardiovascular disease is number one in the country. So, what about Akita women? They are number 47 in the country. Attention is being drawn to the diet of “Akita women” who do not develop cardiovascular diseases even if they consume salt.
The difference between Akita and Fukushima women is in their diet. Akita women eat a lot of seaweed, but Fukushima women eat less. In particular, the amount of akamoku seaweed consumed provided a clue. While kombu and wakame are popular seaweeds, akamoku is a seaweed that has been eaten in the Akita region. This seaweed is characterized by its high potassium content. Potassium has the function of excreting urine. And potassium also has the function of excreting salt (sodium). When excreting urine, the same amount of salt as potassium is excreted. Of course, not only akamoku but also potassium contained in vegetables has the function of excreting salt. It is necessary to limit salt intake. And if you consume a lot of salt, the “Akita women” have the wisdom and skills to understand the mechanism of salt excretion and excrete it.
It has been said for a long time that Japanese people are taking in too much salt. According to the 2019 National Health and Nutrition Survey, the daily salt intake of people aged 20 and over is 10.1g. This salt intake of 10.1g is more than double the recommended amount (5.0g) set by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, many Japanese people complain that low-salt foods, which reduce salt content, are not tasty. There is a growing demand for more enjoyable, tastier, and more fulfilling lifestyles. The human tongue and mouth contain many organs called “taste organs” that sense taste. It has become clear that human behavior and emotions change due to the interaction of multiple senses, including hearing and taste. In modern times, technology to control human senses such as taste and sight has evolved. It would be great to see new technology used to develop tasty, healthy, low-salt dishes.
