Be careful: salt! the harm of salt to the body (facts and new research). how to replace salt
It has been established that the average person consumes almost twice as much salt per day as recommended by healthy eating standards.
We talk about the symptoms that signal that there is too much salt in the diet.
Salt is the most popular spice in the world, actively used in cooking since ancient times. The effect of salt on the human body has been studied for a long time. Scientists note that even a minimal excess of salt can lead to cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, the formation of stones in the urinary tract and other ailments.
Let us note that there is no healthy salt in the world. Himalayan, sea, farm, lavender... Any type of salt contains 40% sodium.
The human body is wise and, as soon as it senses excess sodium, it begins to excrete it together in urine. But along with sodium, calcium also leaves, and a lack of calcium leads to osteoporosis. Our body is a self-regulating mechanism that is capable of removing excess water, metabolic products, salts, as well as toxic substances from the outside from the body. But when he stops coping, various diseases arise.
So, how do you know if you are consuming too much salt?
1. Constant feeling of thirst
Dry mouth and a feeling of thirst are the first signs that you are consuming too much salt. In the human body, the water-electrolyte balance is disturbed, and a feeling of thirst appears. Sodium “pulls” water from cells into the bloodstream, and the brain sends us signals that we need to drink in order to restore the fluid balance in the cells.
2. The appearance of edema
Excessive salt intake can cause swelling. Sodium is able to retain moisture, which begins to accumulate in tissues. This primarily affects the face and limbs. The easiest way to get rid of puffiness is to reduce your salt intake.
3. Constant headaches
Have you ever experienced headaches for no good reason? Perhaps it's all about the salt. Excessive consumption of this substance leads to dilation of blood vessels in brain cells, which is accompanied by headaches.
4. High Blood Pressure
As noted earlier, sodium chloride is able to retain moisture in the body. And this affects the kidneys, liver, brain and cardiovascular system, causing the heart to work harder. Hence the high blood pressure.
However, you should not completely exclude salt from consumption, since it is necessary for the functioning of cells and is involved in all thought processes. The standard salt intake established by WHO is 3-5 grams per day (one teaspoon).
How to reduce salt intake?
The American Heart Association has named the “salty six” foods that contain high levels of sodium: bread, processed meats, fast food sandwiches and burgers, pizza, soups using bouillon cubes, canned goods and condiments, and fried chicken. By reducing the presence of these products in the diet, the amount of salt entering the body will also significantly decrease.
- Choose natural, unprocessed foods
- Replace salt with herbs and spices
- Use vegetables to improve taste
- Look for products labeled as “low sodium” on labels.
An obvious sign of too much salt is high blood pressure, but there are four other signs that you should limit your salt intake.
Food seems bland
According to experts, craving for salty foods is not an innate, but an acquired habit. We gradually develop a preference for salt. Salt has some properties that make foods taste better, and it can help neutralize the natural bitterness of food. This is why people often sprinkle salt on their vegetables, which then makes them taste better. However, consuming too much salt can affect your taste buds. You may get used to the taste of foods with a high salt content and then foods with a normal salt content will seem bland to you.
Feeling like the body is swollen
Have you ever felt like you suddenly gained weight? Consuming more sodium than you need can cause this feeling because fluid is retained in the body's tissues. Salt acts like a magnet for water, retaining liquid. Fluid retention can cause bloating and may also explain why your eyes or fingers swell, which often occurs in middle age. Because of this, some people have to remove the rings from their fingers before eating a bowl of soup, because then they simply cannot be removed.
The appearance of headaches for no reason
If you experience headaches from time to time without any obvious cause, try to see if they occur after eating foods high in salt. Excessive amounts of salt can cause blood vessels in the brain to dilate, which can then cause headaches.
Frequent urination
Nighttime urination is a real problem for many people, especially older people. In his 2017 study, Dr. Tomohiro found that eating too much salt can cause excessive urination. In older adults, it can cause interrupted sleep, fatigue, and irritability. By reducing their salt intake by 25%, study participants found that they went to the toilet less often at night. This study suggests that a simple change in diet can significantly improve the quality of life for many people.
This year, the American Heart Association (AHA) called for a reduction in table salt intake, along with stricter industry regulations regarding sodium chloride levels in everyday foods.
The previous proposal of this Association, set out back in 2005, was to set the maximum daily salt intake to 2300 mg. Currently, most experts believe that this figure is too high for the average person and suggest lowering the recommended limit to 1,500 mg per day.
Estimates show that most people exceed twice this amount (about one and a half teaspoons of pure salt per day). The bulk of table salt comes from processed foods and restaurant foods. These figures are of great concern.
Side effects of excessive salt intake
High blood pressure, risk of heart attack, stroke and kidney failure are well known side effects increased daily salt intake. The medical costs of treating these and other diseases associated with excess salt take a toll on both public and private pockets.
Research shows that lowering daily salt intake to a new 1,500 mg could reduce deaths from stroke and heart disease by as much as 20% and save $24 billion in U.S. health care spending.
It is important to monitor not only the quantity, but also the quality of the salt you eat. The hidden toxins present in sodium chloride, or table salt, are often forgotten by even the most diligent consumers. Alternative sea salts, so-called natural forms of sodium, benefit, but may come from contaminated sources. They often contain impure forms of iodine, as well as sodium ferrocyanide and magnesium carbonate. The latter inhibits the function of the central nervous system and causes disruption of the heart.
Avoiding restaurant and other "convenience" foods that are a major source of sodium - The best way avoid these dangers. Cooking at home using high quality salt will be a good alternative. But you still need to monitor your daily salt intake.
Alternative: Himalayan crystal salt
This salt is considered one of the purest in the world. It is collected away from sources of contamination, processed and packaged by hand, and reaches the dinner table safely.
Unlike other types of salt, Himalayan crystalline salt contains 84 minerals and rare trace elements that are extremely beneficial for health.
Salt, also known as sodium chloride, adds flavor to food and is also used as a preservative, binder and stabilizer. The human body requires very little sodium (the primary element we get from salt) to conduct nerve impulses, contract and relax muscles, and maintain proper balance of water and minerals. But too much sodium in the diet can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, stomach cancer, kidney problems, osteoporosis and other diseases.
How much salt is not harmful to health?
Unfortunately, I did not find information about the minimum “dose” of salt needed by a person. As for its optimal amount, different studies provide different data. For example, the World Health Organization (WHO) website states that reducing daily salt intake to 5 grams or less reduces the risk of heart attack by 23% and overall cardiovascular disease by 17%.
Given that the majority of US adults are at risk of developing salt-related diseases, nutrition experts at the Harvard School of Public Health, the American Heart Association and the Center for Science in the Public Interest have called on the US government to lower the upper limit of daily recommended salt intake to 1.5 grams , especially in risk groups, which include:
People over 50 years of age;
People with high or slightly elevated blood pressure;
Diabetes patients
One of my friends, when we discussed the topic of salt, thought it was very easy to reduce daily salt intake to 5 grams. However, according to the WHO, daily salt intake in European countries is much higher than the recommended level and is around 8–11 grams.
The fact is that we need to take into account not only the salt with which we add salt to food from a salt shaker, but also the salt that is already contained in industrially prepared food, bread, sausages, canned food, sauces, etc. For example, 80% of salt consumption in the European Union comes from processed foods such as cheese, bread, and ready meals. Therefore, many people consume much more salt than they think, and this negatively affects their health.
Salt is sold in various forms:
- Unrefined salt (for example, sea, Celtic, Himalayan). This is natural salt, collected by hand and not subjected to industrial processing processes. This salt has a natural taste (different for each type and region of production) and an individual mineral composition (may contain small amounts of calcium or magnesium halides, sulfates, traces of algae, salt-resistant bacteria, and sediment particles). It also tastes less salty.
— Refined table salt, which has undergone an industrial processing process and consists of almost 100% sodium chloride. This salt is bleached, special substances are added to it so that it does not stick together, iodine, etc.
Table salt is non-living, oven-dried, lacks beneficial minerals, and is overly processed.
I recommend using high quality sea salt, such as Celtic Sea salt, or Himalayan salt, or French salt, hand-harvested in Brittany (pictured). You can buy it, for example, . These salts are dried by the sun and wind, they contain enzymes and about 70 trace elements. Among them, for example, is magnesium, which is involved in the removal of toxic substances from the body.
Many of us are accustomed to the very salty taste of food because we often consume industrially produced foods, which contain large amounts of salt. If we switch to natural products, we will be able to better feel and appreciate the nuances of flavors and will not regret giving up salt at all. I've been using significantly less salt in my cooking for several months now, and I can honestly report that I'm starting to notice more different flavors in my food. To an unprepared body, my food may seem bland, so I gradually gave up salt, reducing its consumption daily.
For those who want to learn more about the negative consequences of excessive salt consumption, I will provide some data.
Kidney diseases
For most people, excess sodium causes kidney problems. When sodium accumulates in the blood, the body begins to retain water to dilute the sodium. This increases the amount of fluid surrounding the cells and the volume of blood in the bloodstream. An increase in blood volume increases the load on the heart and increases the pressure in the blood vessels. Over time, this can lead to problems such as high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and heart failure. There is some evidence that excessive salt intake can cause damage to the heart, aorta, and kidneys without raising blood pressure, and that it is also harmful to the skeletal system.
Cardiovascular diseases
Recent research in the Archives of Internal Medicine has provided further evidence of the negative health effects of salt. Scientists have found that people who eat a high-salt diet are at greater risk of dying from a heart attack. In addition, it turned out that consumption large quantity sodium increases the risk of mortality by 20%. In addition to contributing to high blood pressure, sodium in excess can lead to stroke, heart disease and heart failure.
Cancer
Scientists say that increased consumption of salt, sodium or salty foods provokes the development of stomach cancer. The World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research have concluded that salt and salty and salty foods are " possible reason stomach cancer."
Salt is the most popular spice all over the world, which is used daily in cooking by 98% of the world's population. But scientists have long proven that every third person in the world who regularly consumes salt suffers from high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases, leading to disability and early death. Moreover, scientists associate the development of blindness and kidney failure with increased salt intake. It is not for nothing that salt has long been nicknamed “white death” by the people.
It is no secret that salt, which has the chemical formula NaCl, consists of 40% sodium and 60% chlorine. The recommended amount of salt for an adult is 2,300 mg of sodium per day, which is about a little more than a teaspoon of salt. However, the average person consumes almost twice the recommended dose per day, without thinking at all about the consequences that come from being addicted to this insidious spice.
Doctors warn: every person should pay attention to symptoms that indicate increased salt intake.
Signs warning about salt abuse
1. Excessive thirst
Excess salt in the body disrupts the water-electrolyte balance in the body, causing a person to become very thirsty. This happens because sodium “pulls” water from the cells into the bloodstream, and the brain, in an effort to restore the level of fluid in the cells, sends us a thirst signal.
2. Cravings for salty foods
Please note that cravings for various pickles and the desire to add salt to your food may be a sign of excess sodium in the body. Analyze your eating habits. If regular food seems bland to you, while others consider it quite salty, there is a high probability that you suffer from excess salt. A feeling of lack of salt in a dish is an indirect sign of high blood pressure; it may be worth checking your blood pressure.
3. Bloating
This symptom is the result of extreme thirst caused by increased salt intake. The desire to drink is so strong that a person, without thinking, drinks much more than his body needs. And this is very harmful, because against the background of excess fluid, a person’s stomach swells and he experiences serious discomfort. But what’s even more dangerous is that the heart in this state begins to work with increased load, which means it wears out faster.
4. Edema
According to doctors, excess salt intake is one of the top 10 causes of swelling in the legs and feet. Increased sodium intake leads to fluid retention in the body. In this case, its excess accumulates in the tissues, provoking the occurrence of conditions that doctors call edema. Swelling can occur in any part of the body, but most often it appears in the arms, legs, ankles and feet. If you are faced with this problem, think about whether the cause of the swelling that appears is the abuse of salt.
5. High Blood Pressure
As noted above, sodium chloride helps retain excess fluid in the body. This, in turn, affects the kidneys, liver, brain and cardiovascular system, causing high blood pressure. Besides, salt is not the most in the best possible way affects blood arteries. The additional stress caused by excess blood causes the thin muscle fibers of the arteries to become stronger and thicker, which ultimately leads to a narrowing of the arteries and an even greater increase in pressure.
There are more serious signs that may also indicate increased sodium intake. As a rule, these are chronic diseases caused by excessive stress on the kidneys, heart, stomach or skeletal system of a person. Let's study them in more detail.
6. Osteoporosis
Diet plays a key role in preventing such a dangerous disease as osteoporosis. Excess salt increases the leaching of calcium from the body, which it takes from the skeletal system. That is why, having discovered an increased calcium content in the urine, doctors, as a rule, associate this with the development of osteoporosis.
7. Kidney stones
The kidneys regulate the level of fluid in the body, promptly removing its excess in the form of urine. But the increased consumption of sodium disrupts this process, as a result of which most of the water is retained in the body, and the calcium present in the urine settles in the form of stones, that is. Thus, a person who consumes more than 2.3 g of salt per day risks urolithiasis and other kidney pathologies.
8. Stomach cancer
Regularly eating salty foods increases the risk of developing stomach cancer. A study by French scientists confirming this fact indirectly explains why in Japan, a country where salty and pickled foods are so loved, such a high percentage of people suffer from cancerous tumors. A study published in 2010 in " American magazine Clinical Nutrition, found that a high-sodium diet increased the risk of stomach cancer by 10%.
According to Israeli scientists, it is the high concentration of salt in the stomach that provokes the appearance of Helicobacter pylori bacteria, which in the long term can lead to peptic ulcers and even stomach cancer.
1. Look at the sodium content on the label.
When you decide to rid your body of excess salt, begin to carefully study labels before purchasing a particular product. Usually a person limits himself to studying the amount of calories and sugar, sometimes pays attention to the vitamins present in foods, but does not at all monitor the amount of salt. Make it a habit to always research sodium levels before purchasing, and you will notice that some of those foods that you thought were great for your body are actually harmful to your body.
2. Replace salt with other seasonings
Remember, salt is not the only seasoning that suits your favorite dishes. Try, for example, replacing it with fresh lemon or lime juice, seasoning dishes or wine vinegar, and adding a little hot or red pepper. Believe me, the result will exceed all your expectations!
3. Avoid processed foods
This is one of the most simple ways reduce the amount of salt consumed. Changing your daily habits, which means giving up fast food and increasing your diet with fresh vegetables and fruits, will significantly reduce the amount of salt you consume. According to the American Heart Association, up to 75% of the salt our body gets is not from the salt shaker, but from eating processed foods, in particular, fast food and processed foods.
4. Replace table salt with healthy salt
Regular table salt, which you are used to seeing in your salt shaker, and which is used in restaurants around the world, has nothing in common with natural, unprocessed salt. If table salt consists of only two elements - sodium and chlorine, then natural salt contains 84 chemical element, necessary for the body person. That is why natural salt is commonly called the “salt of life.” The most famous example of natural salt is the famous Himalayan pink salt, which in small quantities is extremely beneficial for the body.
5. Don't give up salt completely
Although increased salt consumption is dangerous for the body, you should not completely give up this spice. The fact is that the body needs sodium chloride for various chemical processes, which means it is enough just to reduce the consumption of this product and, if possible, resort to using other types of salt that are more beneficial compared to table salt.
Remember, by paying attention to these signs in a timely manner and taking all necessary measures to reduce salt intake, you will save yourself from many problems with the body and, without a doubt, prolong your life. Good health to you!