According to Dr Kalpana Bhaskaran, manager of Nutrition Research and Head of Glycemic Index Research Unit at Temasek Polytechnic’s School of Applied Science, “the consumption of one salted yolk contributes to 187mg of cholesterol, which is more than half the recommended intake of 300mg per day. For sodium, the intake should be 2,000mg or one (5g) teaspoon or less per day. One salted egg yolk contains 680mg of sodium, about one-third of the recommended intake.”

She warned: “When salted egg yolks are used in recipe preparation, one portion of the food item might contain more than one salted egg yolk and this increases the cholesterol consumption beyond what is recommended. In addition, other foods eaten in the daily diet will also contribute to the cholesterol levels.”

Besides increasing blood pressure, a high salt intake could cause other adverse effects, like gastric and some other cancers; it worsens renal disease, triggers an asthma attack, osteoporosis, exacerbates of fluid retention, and renal calculi.Diets containing high amounts of food preserved by salting and pickling are associated with an increased risk of cancers of the stomach, nose and throat.

“Such foods should be eaten in moderation,” she concluded.