How much salt is too much salt? Most of us often find ourselves saying that we need to reduce the salt intake but we often fail to do so. Even though we are often told to consume foods that are either less salty or have no salt content at all, we brush off these thoughts. But, you should no longer avoid these tips and here’s how.
Did you know that salt has been used for centuries to preserve food? While it helps to enhance the taste of your food, consuming too much salt has a negative effect on your health.
Salt has been of utmost importance in food preservation, which helps foods last longer. However, what we do not know is that salt removes moisture from foods and this extraction of moisture limits the growth of bacteria which then spoil the food and cause gastrointestinal illness.
Even though most of us know what salt is and what it does, we hardly understand what salt is made of and why is it worrying? Salt is a combination of two chemical compounds, sodium and chloride. Of the two compounds, sodium has been a cause of concern in the human body. Consuming too much salt is linked to increased levels of blood pressure, also known as hypertension. High blood pressure or hypertension is then linked to becoming a major risk factor for stroke and cardiovascular diseases. In the past few years, there has been an increase in the cases of cardiovascular diseases and strokes, which ultimately lead to death or serious illness. In addition, high blood pressure has also been linked to kidney disease.
Therefore, it is important to keep sodium intake under control to avoid the effects of sodium on the cells in a person’s body. There are certain age groups that are at greater risk and are often referred to as salt sensitive. Keeping your sodium intake under control is important for this particular group, including the elderly.
Here’s how you can keep your salt intake within limits:
1. Avoid processed and junk foods that use salt to preserve foods.
2. Increasing the intake of fruits and vegetables in the diet can also help reduce sodium intake.
3. Exercising regularly is the best way to check your overall health and reduce your sodium intake.
4. Quitting smoking and limiting alcohol consumption also helps keep blood pressure within limits
read all Breaking News , today’s fresh news And IPL 2022 Live Updates Here.