Paldal-gu Designates 10 Healthy Food Restaurants as Part of Sodium Reduction Initiative

Suwon City's Paldal-gu and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety held a plaque-hanging ceremony on the 7th to designate 10 restaurants in the district as healthy food establishments as part of the pilot project to reduce sodium in dining-out meals.

The plaque-hanging ceremony was held at Shin Dong-ok (Healthy Food Restaurant No. 1) in Ingye-dong, attended by 25 participants including representatives from the Paldal-gu Branch of the Restaurant Association, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the Provincial Food Safety Division, and relevant officials from Suwon City. The event was aimed at improving eating habits involving excessive sodium intake, a major cause of chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, and reducing citizens' risks of adult diseases to promote healthier lives.

The healthy food restaurants underwent approximately eight months of development, during which standard recipes for representative menus at each restaurant were evaluated and analyzed for nutritional components including sodium. Support was provided for field-tailored techniques, including reducing sodium in recipes and developing low-sodium menu items.

The newly designated healthy food restaurants in Ingye-dong include Shin Dong-ok, Go-eun Gol, Neung-i Chon, Sanhe Kongdubu, Somun, Osarado Hoe-gwan, Uchu Don, Wee Poong Dang-dang Suwon Hwa-ro Gui, Jejusalle, and Haenghwa Chon.

These establishments are expected to make efforts to provide citizens with low-sodium dishes by reducing the salinity of seasonings and broths or decreasing the amounts used, particularly for foods with high sodium content.