Diet and Preventing Death We are constantly reminded by health professionals that excessive intake of dietary sodium is linked to hypertension, which is one of the risk factors for the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke. They further warn you that excess sodium intake is linked to gastric cancer, decreased bone density, and obesity. That's a fact. If I have to lower my sodium intake, it's not because of CVD or hypertension since I cannot see and feel those silent diseases but rather because of obesity. Good grief, that’s noticeable and I believe in "phát tướng phát bệnh". Some European researchers recently suggested that a reduction of up to 50% sodium content in foods results in only minor decrease in liking and no effect on consumption of the food (Journal of Food Science, Dec 2010). Scientists in Dublin even recommended that salt in cheese must be reduced in half (Food Research International, Dec 2010). Thừa thắng xông lên, these researchers even concluded that a 50% reduction of salt in food has no impact on taste recognition, taste sensitivity, perceived saltiness intensity or food liking? Now that's different from disease prevention and obesity. Whom are they kidding? I can bet that those surveys did not include Asians or Vietnamese in particular. Imagine phở, bún bò Huế, hủ tiếu Mỹ Tho with less salt, would that affect your taste? Do your liking of bánh cuốn Thanh Trì, bánh xèo, bánh hỏi, and bánh đập stay the same without nước chấm? Do you reduce your intake if bún chả is served without nước mắm? Do you think that cá kho tộ tastes the same with less salt? One time, I cook cá kho tộ with salt substitute, and I threw up after the first bite. How can Vietnamese dishes like thịt kho Tàu, cá kho giềng, mắm ba khía, etc. be so unique and distinctive without being salty. The importance of salt is well illustrated when cà muối and dưa chua become "khú" and distasteful due to insufficient salt in the broth. I think there is some plot by Western restaurants to destroy and discredit the Vietnamese cuisine since Phở is now one of the most gratified fast food in the US and Phở has contributed to the rise in hypertensive Americans. And what’s that main ingredient of the Vietnamese gastronomy? It’s nước mắm. Without nước mắm, bánh cuốn, bánh xèo, bánh ướt, bánh hỏi, bún bò xào, etc. would never be craved. Please, we don’t need “Restricted salt nước mắm” or “Diet nước mắm”. Only non-connoisseurs use “diet soy sauce” in those bottles with a green cap. Salty taste links to our Vietnamese way of life. We say “nhạt như nước ốc” to an uninteresting joke and we do “thêm mắm thêm muối” to our boring life. Men sometimes must “muối mặt” and walk away. Mắm and salt are mentioned poetically in our literature such as: Bồng em, đi dạo vườn cà Cà non chấm mắm, cà già làm dưa Làm dưa ba bữa dưa chua Chị kia xách dĩa lại mua ba đồng To all the ladies in our Forum, may I reveal a secret in the cosmetic industry? Beauty is related to high sodium intake. Yes, otherwise why men always applaud you as "mặn mà"? Think about it. It’s the Holiday Season, please accept my best wishes to you and yours and let enjoy more Vietnamese dishes during this time of joy and peace. It’s the Holiday Season, Just Enjoy and Forget About Diet Tiến sỹ Bùi Quốc Quang . Diet and Preventing Death We are constantly reminded by health professionals that excessive intake of dietary sodium is linked to hypertension, which. accept my best wishes to you and yours and let enjoy more Vietnamese dishes during this time of joy and peace. It’s the Holiday Season, Just Enjoy and Forget About Diet Tiến sỹ Bùi Quốc Quang. “nhạt như nước ốc” to an uninteresting joke and we do “thêm mắm thêm muối” to our boring life. Men sometimes must “muối mặt” and walk away. Mắm and salt are mentioned poetically in our literature