What happens when you eat too much salt? How to reduce salt intake

What happens when you eat too much salt? Salt is usually used as a flavor enhancer in food. It is also used in food preservation. Because bacteria cannot live there if there is salt.

But nutritionists say there are some downsides to eating too much salt. Because one of the ingredients of salt is sodium. Which increases the risk of various diseases if taken in excess.

The salt we eat as table salt is basically sodium chloride. It contains 40 percent sodium and the remaining 60 percent chloride. Most of our sodium intake comes from table salt.

According to the World Health Organization, almost everyone in the world consumes more sodium than they need. An adult consumes about 4310 mg of sodium per day. Which is almost twice the level set by WHO.

The agency's recommended sodium intake is less than 2,000 milligrams of sodium per day, which is about five grams of salt.

Is Sodium Necessary?
Sodium is a component of salt. According to the World Health Organization, this element is essential for maintaining cell plasma, balancing body alkalinity, nerve conduction and cell function. However, excess sodium intake can be harmful to health.

Some natural foods such as milk, meat, and shellfish such as shrimp, oysters, etc. contain sodium. However, processed foods contain excess amounts of sodium. What happens when you eat too much salt?

How much salt can be eaten?
According to the World Health Organization, healthy adults should consume less than 2,000 milligrams of sodium, or less than 5 grams of salt, per day. For 2-15 year olds this dose should be further reduced as needed.

According to Harvard University's Department of Public Health, women over 14 and pregnant women can consume 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day.

Whatever salt is consumed must be iodized. Because it contributes to the brain formation of children and improves the mental health of the elderly.

According to the NHS, the United Kingdom's Department of Health, adults should not consume more than 6 grams of salt per day. It is about the same as a full teaspoon. This amount of salt is added in the food we eat every day.

Salt intake varies by age. According to NHS data, adults aged 11 and over can have a maximum of 6g of salt a day, 7-10 year olds 5g, 4-6 year olds 3g, 1-3 year olds 2g and under-one-year-olds less than 1g a day. .

According to the institute, it is not good for children to eat salt because they cannot digest and absorb salt because their kidneys are not regenerated.

Nutritionist Samia Tasnim said that a person should not consume more than 5 grams of salt per day. People get this amount of salt naturally from daily food such as curries.

Apart from this, increasing reliance on packaged and processed foods is leading to excess salt intake.

What happens if you eat too much salt?
According to the World Health Organization, eating foods rich in excess sodium increases high blood pressure. In addition, heart disease, gastric cancer, obesity, osteoporosis or bone loss, a type of ear disease called Meniere's disease, and kidney disease can occur.

The agency says excess sodium intake is responsible for 1.89 million deaths worldwide each year. Because excess sodium intake is one of the main causes of high blood pressure and heart disease.

The UK Department of Health NHS says that eating too much salt can cause high blood pressure. Due to which the risk of heart attack and stroke increases.

According to Harvard University's Department of Public Health, the human body needs a small amount of sodium to maintain normal nerve conduction, muscle contraction and relaxation, and water and mineral balance. We need 500 milligrams of sodium daily to keep these functions working properly.

However, excess sodium in the diet can increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Besides, calcium deficiency may occur due to this. Sodium can even absorb calcium from bones.

Nutritionist Samia Tasnim says sodium chloride or table salt is essential for a healthy person and must be iodized.

However, due to the increasing busyness of people's lives, many people now eat processed foods that contain excessive amounts of salt. And excess salt is harmful to the body because it also contains high levels of sodium. What happens when you eat too much salt?

Because of this any of our diseases are growing very fast. These include high blood pressure. Besides, non-communicable diseases like diabetes etc. are on the rise,' said Samia Tasnim.

He said, that does not mean that salt should be completely avoided in food. Even if you don't eat salt, it can still be deficient, which is harmful to health. Again, if you eat salt, you should keep in mind that it contains iodine.

If salt is consumed in excess, it will cause the most damage to heart and kidney patients. Sodium, potassium and phosphate can aggravate the disease, especially for those suffering from kidney disease, requiring regular dialysis.

'They increase creatinine (a blood component with a normal range of 1.8 to 1.9) levels, damage the kidneys and are harmful for people with high blood pressure.'

Samia Tasnim says that people with uncontrolled diabetes and high blood pressure, without kidney complications, are at increased risk of developing kidney disease due to high sodium and potassium levels due to increased creatinine levels.

He said, 'Blood pressure is the first step in heart disease. Then cholesterol increases and then we have heart attacks, strokes.'

Which food contains more salt?
People unknowingly consume too much salt, which actually needs to be brought under control. Three-quarters of the salt we eat comes from the packaged foods we buy and eat. For example, from a variety of breads, breakfast cereals, meat products and prepared foods. Although these foods do not feel salty while eating.

In addition, restaurant or cafe food and various types of fast food also contain a lot of salt.

Foods to be aware of include sausages, processed meats, pastries, pizza, cheese, chips and salted or spiced nuts, various sauces, ketchups and sauces. They contain a lot of salt.

Generally, unprocessed foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, meat, and dairy foods are naturally low in sodium.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC, the 10 foods that contain the highest amount of sodium in our diet are bread or rolls, pizza, sandwiches, processed meats, soups, various types of chips such as popcorn, cookies or crackers, chicken, cheese, Eggs and omelets.

Nutritionist Samia Tasnim said in response to the question which foods contain more salt, 'packet food or processed food such as we are using sauces, sauces, fish sauces, tasting salt in processing, fried items or nuts or anything salted, canned food that we call. '

What to do to reduce salt intake
Nutritionist Samia Tasnim says, to reduce salt intake, he must completely avoid eating processed foods. Eat home cooked food. There he can reduce the use of salt if he wants.

In addition, the Department of Health Services in the United Kingdom gives some advice. These are-

Avoid eating processed foods. Eat fresh food instead.

If you want to reduce salt intake, first remove salt from the table.

Instead of salt, you can use different spices to add flavor to food. Such as black pepper, garlic, chilli or lemon juice.

Set a limit on how much salt you use when cooking and eating. Test or taste the food before adding salt, then add salt as needed.

When buying processed foods, check the package to see how much salt is added. Try to buy foods that are low in salt.

Buy prepared foods and sauces that are low in salt. For example, low-salt soy sauce. Try to avoid high salt sauces, ketchup, mustard sauce mayonnaise.

Eat less salted food. For example - salted meat or salted fish, cheese, olives and pickles.
Instead of bread or chips, eat healthy snacks such as rice bread, fruits, vegetables or unsalted nuts.

Nutritionists say that healthy people need to maintain potassium levels. In this case, there should be more fruits and vegetables. Potassium levels are especially high in citrus fruits or sour foods.

According to them, such foods help in reducing heart disease and high blood pressure.

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