Salt and sugar are the two main ingredients in our daily diet. Salt is far more important in most diets compared to sugar. Salt is used to better the flavor of our food. However, there are some negative effects of using too much salt. Some common side effects of too much salt are high blood pressure, kidney problems, heart disease, etc.
Thanks to the awareness, people are now searching for ways to reduce salt from their lives or completely get rid of it.
What is the Role of Salt?
The scientific name of salt is sodium chloride. It is an important mineral. With its help, our body can easily contract muscles and regulate fluids. But just like everything else, too much of this important mineral can lead to health issues. Salt is hidden in our diet just like sugar. Some common foods with too much salt are snacks, fast food, and restaurant meals.
How much Salt is excessive?
If we look at data from WHO, a healthy adult should only take five grams of salt. This equals one teaspoon of salt per day. But salt consumption is much more than that. The main reason is that salt is hidden in foods. Here is some data about salt consumption from trusted sources.
- According to the CDC, 90% of Americans eat more than the recommended quantity of salt.
- A medical journal from England shared amazing data. According to this data, we can reduce more than one million cases of stroke and heart attack by reducing 3 grams of sugar.
- AHA says that lowering salt from diet can reduce blood pressure in 90% of people.
Why a Salt-free Diet is Beneficial?
With this research data, you can understand how a salt-free diet is beneficial. It is time to learn about some health benefits of removing salt from your life.
1. Lower Blood Pressure
Lower blood pressure is also called hypertension. It is a leading cause of stroke. When you eat too much salt, your body will retain water. This leads to pressure on your veins and high blood pressure. If you have hypertension, reduce the salt intake by 1 or 2 grams to see the difference.
Read More: 5 Salt-Free Meals for a Heart-Healthy Diet
2. Reduced Risk of Heart Disease
Salt in excess is dangerous for your heart. Your heart will have to work hard due to too much salt. Hypertension also causes heart disease. Your chances of developing a heart disease reduce by 25% when you lower the salt from your diet.
3. Healthier Kidneys
Kidneys filter waste from your blood. It is removed from the body via urine. This filtration happens when there is a balanced amount of sodium. Using too much salt for a long time will lead to kidney diseases. A study was conducted by the American Society of Nephrology. According to this study, the risk of kidney disease is 30% higher in those who eat more salt.
4. Reduced Risk of Stroke
Hypertension can lead to stroke. Lower salt from your diet to get rid of this leading factor of stroke. AHA data says that 20,000 strokes can be avoided annually by reducing 1-gram salt from your diet.
5. Improved Bone Health
Salt and calcium are linked. Too much salt will result in calcium loss. This will weaken your bones. The chances of developing osteoporosis are higher.
6. Better Weight Management
Salt also contributes to weight gain and bloating. Salt retains water and when you reduce salt, your water weight will also go down. You can reduce 4 pounds in 6 months by reducing sodium. This data is from a study by the American Journal of Hypertension.
7. Lower Risk of Stomach Cancer
Stomach cancer is a rising issue. Too much salt and stomach cancer are linked. Sodium chloride damages the lining of the stomach over time. You can reduce the chances of stomach cancer by 14 % with a salt-free diet.
8. Better Sense Buds
Too much sodium can badly affect your taste buds. This means that you’ll crave more salt in foods. By switching to a salt-free life, enjoy flavors.
9. Reduced Water Retention
By switching to a low-salt diet, you can reduce fluid retention to a great extent. Fluid retention causes bloating and swelling. You’ll feel lighter. A study was done by the Nutrition Journal to find a link between salt and fluid retention. People with salt-free diets reduced fluid retention in a short time.
10. Improved Overall Health
More salt means more health issues. Protect your kidneys, heart, bones, and other organs from damage with a slight change. We can reduce more than one million deaths around the world by reducing salt.
How to go Salt-Free?
Switching to no-salt mode is difficult but not impossible. The first step is to read food labels. Sometimes, foods aren’t generally salty but they still have salt in them. Breads, processed meats, and sauces are common examples of such foods. Garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, herbs, and spices alternate with salt. Fresh foods are low in sodium compared to processed foods. When you want to dine out, ask for little or no salt from the chef. Instead of quickly drawing from the salt, go slow. If you go all out, you’ll get cravings. Health food stores are easier to find now. These stores have food items to help you stay on your salt-free diet.
Salty Foods to Avoid
Some foods are high in sodium and you should avoid them. Here is the list of some of those foods.
- Fast food – Fires, Pizza, and Burgers.
- Snacks – Chips, Salted Nuts, Salted Crackers, and Pretzels.
- Frozen Foods – Frozen Pizza and Meats.
- Processed Meats – Bacon, hot dogs, and sausage.
- Soups – Packaged soups and canned soups.
- Baked Goods – Crackers, croutons, Salted Bagels, and Salted rolls.
- Baking Mixes – Pancake, Cake Mixes, and Waffles.
- Side Dishes – Hash browns, Rice Pilaf, and Stuffing.
- Drinks – Vegetable juices, juice blends, and alcoholic drinks.
- Picked Vegies – Olives, Sauerkraut, and pickles.
- Cheese – Cheese spreads, cottage cheese, buttermilk, cheese sauce, salted butter, and cheese.
- Boxed Meals – Marconi, Cheese Marconi, pasta meals, and rice meals.