Disappointing news this week for lovers of Chinese takeaway food, as in the UK the campaign group Action on Salt announced that its survey of 150 dishes revealed that most were very high in salt, and that a single main course dish might contain half the recommended adult daily allowance of 6g. Add in some rice and a couple of side dishes and you’re almost guaranteed to be over the limit and increasing your risk of raised blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes.
The reality is, however, that society as a whole would be much healthier if we had more salt in our diet. During his famous Sermon on the Mount Jesus said to his disciples, ‘You are the salt of the earth.’1 But what did he mean? He was speaking in an age when salt was used to preserve meat, and he was telling his followers that they should have a similar effect on the world. It ought to be the case that when Christians are present in society it should be flavoured with love, grace, compassion and forgiveness, for these are the characteristics Christ displayed in his own life; and if that isn’t the case then Jesus says that like salt that’s lost its flavour, there’s not much point in us being around at all.
1Matthew 5:13