Jakarta, May 17, 2024 – In order to achieve 2 big goals, first extending the healthy life expectancy of 1 billion people worldwide, and second, reducing the environmental impact of our business activities by up to 50%, PT AJINOMOTO INDONESIA (Ajinomoto) together with all affiliates from Ajinomoto Global around the world are making various efforts with a variety of activities.
The Ajinomoto Indonesia Group has Smart Salt concept as one of Ajinomoto's Health Provider initiatives to help extend healthy life expectancy and encourage the adoption of a healthy lifestyle among Indonesian people. The Smart Salt Concept is a solution that is quite easy to apply, by reducing the use of salt and adding a little amount of MSG to daily menu consumption.
According to dr. Yohan Samudra, SpGK, AIFO-K, clinical nutrition specialist from Premier Bintaro Hospital, excessive salt consumption is the main trigger for hypertension which leads to increased risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Therefore, controlling salt intake is important for people to avoid the risk factors.
“Hypertension is one of degenerative diseases that doesn’t always have symptoms. It could be that once it is measured suddenly the blood pressure is high, or it can also be characterized by discomfort or headaches, but that doesn't mean every headache is caused by high blood pressure. Therefore, it is important for us to be able to prevent risk factors. There are several factors that trigger the risk of hypertension, such as: age, genetic factors, and unhealthy lifestyle factors such as metabolic disease (high blood sugar, high cholesterol, excessive salt intake). From these factors, of course adopting a healthy lifestyle is the best way to avoid hypertension risk factors," said dr. Yohan Samudra, SpGK, AIFO-K when interviewed.
"Commemorating World Hypertension Day which falls in May, I would like to invite all people to adopt a healthier lifestyle by exercising regularly, and controlling their intake of sugar, salt and fat (GGL) as recommended by the Indonesian Ministry of Health. The sodium in salt is indeed a nutrient that helps support body functions. However, consuming excess salt can trigger excessive fluid buildup in body tissues. This fluid can be drawn into the blood vessels and increase the volume of blood flow. This condition will trigger an increase in blood pressure and cause hypertension. When someone experiences high blood pressure or hypertension, in the long term the blood vessels will harden and narrow. As a result, the flow of blood and oxygen distributed to the body's organs is reduced. The heart will work extra and increase blood pressure which can trigger heart failure or stroke. WHO also recommends a maximum salt consumption of 5 grams per day to help reduce the risk of hypertension. Reducing salt intake can reduce blood pressure and improve heart health," he continued.
Grant Senjaya, Head of Corporate Communications – PT Ajinomoto Indonesia said that Ajinomoto Indonesia Group is actively campaigning for the Bijak Salt concept as a form of company contribution to encouraging the creation of healthy lifestyles in society.
"The Ajinomoto Smart Salt Campaign is a form of public education about the importance of a low-salt diet. Applying Smart Saltly in daily cooking activities is also very easy, just reduce some of the salt used and replace it by adding MSG. For example, when cooking chicken soup, from what we usually pour 2 teaspoons (tsp) of salt into the soup, we simply change it to 1 tsp salt + ½ tsp MSG, with these tips, we have applied the Smart Salt concept. Life can be healthier by reducing the salt intake in cooking dish, but you can still get a high taste of food," said Grant.
Indonesian people can find more complete information about Smart Salt & Health Provider initiatives at www.ajinomoto.co.id. Apart from that, Ajinomoto also has the www.dapurumami.com platform which contains recipes that use the Smart Salt concept. People can easily apply these recipes at home. Through the Smart Salt campaign, Ajinomoto hopes to continue to contribute to encouraging the creation of a lifestyle in society.