Stroke and Hypertension in Haitian Communities, is it because of all that extra SALT in the way Haitians cook?

Most Haitians care more about their foods tasting really good than how healthy the food is. That makes me think: Stroke and Hypertension (high blood pressure) in the Haitian community, are they linked to all that extra salt in the way we cook?

Haitian Food - Bon Manje Kreyol - How do you say Diri Shela in English?
Haitian Food - Bon Manje Kreyol - How do you say Diri Shela in English?

Haitians are quick to tell you "I am not a zombie, put more salt in my food" but is it that same salt that is turning many older Haitians into zombies.

Stroke and Hypertension is a problem in Haiti and in the Haitian Diaspora. Too much salt in our diet may be the culprit.

Haitians are so addicted to harreng sel (herring), morue (cod fish), and poisson gros sel (salted fish), endwi (a salted meat that gives food good taste in Haiti).

Poisson Gros Sel or Coarse Salt Fish, Rum Barbabcourt, a day at the beach in Labadee Haiti

I was doing some research to find out why more Haitians are dying from high blood pressure related diseases than before and I landed on an article discussing the excess amount of salt in the Haitian diet.

You should read it: Hypertension in Haiti: The Challenge of Best Possible Practice by John G. Kenerson, MD

Gros Sel, Sea Salt from Haiti - How much sodium should you consume in a day?

According to the article, the Haitian diet is high in sodium (salt) and low in potassium and that's a combination for death from heart disease.

Salt in Haitian cuisine is a component of acquired taste. Haitians put salt in almost everything they cook. Reduce the salt in the food and a Haitian will tell you 'li manke sèl' (there's not enough salt in it).

This love of salt in our diet may be because we've been using salt to preserve our foods especially the meets and fishes we eat.

With the advent of the internet, information is more readily available in Haiti now; therefore, it is our responsibility to be more conscious of what we put in our body.

What do you think about that?

Reply with your comments

Write a comment  (1)

You might also like

Return to Articles List

All Comments (1)

Haiti Sante says...

La plupart des Haïtiens se soucient plus que leurs aliments ont un bon goût que la santé de la nourriture.

Cela me fait penser: AVC et Hypertension (hypertension artérielle) en Haïti, sont-ils liés à tout ce supplément de SEL dans notre façon de cuisiner?

Je faisais des recherches pour savoir pourquoi plus d'Haïtiens meurent de maladies liées à l'hypertension artérielle qu'auparavant et j'ai atterri sur un article traitant de l'excès de sel dans le régime haïtien.

Reply  ... More

Leave a Reply

Name (required)

E-mail (required, will not be published)

Subject: Stroke and Hypertension in Haitian Communities, is it because of all that extra SALT in the way Haitians cook? edit

» »