Salt is essential for our bodies. The scientific name of salt is sodium. It is established from research that salt is required for the normal functioning of our bodies. But, consume it too much and it’ll also lead to health issues.
According to doctors, you should add salt to your food for flavor only. If you consume too much salt, your health will deteriorate with time. This will eventually lead to heart and kidney problems. Learn about sodium in detail and how you can start a sodium-free diet.
What is Sodium?
Sodium or salt is an important mineral. It is used by our body to maintain fluid balance and blood pressure. It is also required for normal muscle and nerve function. Salt is already in most of our foods and it isn’t that much of a problem.
The real problem starts with the added salt as this leads to health issues. This salt is mostly found in restaurant meals and processed food items. Some people need to avoid salt because they are sensitive to it.
What is the daily Salt requirement?
If we look at data from WHO, a healthy person only needs one teaspoon of salt. This equals to 2,000 milligrams of sodium. Contrary to this, an average person consumes more than 3,000 milligrams of salt every day.
Why go Low-Salt?
Salt is natural so may wonder why is it important to reduce salt. Well, here are some reasons to convince you to go low-salt.
- Lowers Blood Pressure – Blood pressure is linked with fluid balance. Fluid balance is regulated with sodium. Too much salt will lead to water retaining which will result in high blood pressure. Many studies have found that the main cause of stroke and other heart diseases is high blood pressure. According to a study, those who reduced their salt intake by 1 gram only lowered their blood pressure by 5.4 mmHg.
- Less chances of Kidney Disease – If you eat too much salt, kidneys, filter it out. Taking too much salt for a long time can put stress on the kidneys. Sodium can build up in blood and lead to kidney stones. It can also damage kidneys and can cause chronic kidney diseases. The chances of chronic kidney diseases are 20% higher in those who consume too much salt.
- Better Bone Health – Sodium leads to calcium loss. This is proven by research from the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. Calcium will be lost through urine in persons with high salt intake. This weakens your bones. In older adults, too much salt will also result in osteoporosis.
- Less Risk of Heart Disease – High blood pressure is caused by high salt in diet. High blood pressure is the main reason behind most of the chronic heart diseases. Each year, we can prevent more than 120,000 cases of heart disease in the US alone with one small change. We just have to lower 1 gram of salt from our diet.
Source of Salt in Diet
Unlike sugar, salt is mostly hidden in our diet. It is present in foods where we expect it the least. Here are some high-sodium foods to help you stay away from them.
1. Processed Foods
Processed foods include everything from processed meats like deli meats and bacon to frozen dinners and even canned soups. To make these foods flavorful and preserve them for a long period, salt is added. According to the CDC, Americans consume 70% of salt through canned and processed foods only.
2. Restaurant and Fast Food
Restaurants often add large amounts of salt to dishes to improve flavor, especially in fast food. Even seemingly healthy dishes, like salads or grilled chicken sandwiches, can contain hidden sodium in dressings, sauces, and seasonings.
3. Snacks
Flavored nuts, crackers, pretzels, and chips, everything is full of salt. The biggest problem with snacks is that they aren’t consumed in portions. This makes things worse.
4. Sauces
Ketchup, barbecue sauce, salad dressing, and soy sauce, everything includes salt. To avoid these high-salt sauces, search for a salt-free version or make one for yourself at home. Even a small drizzle of these sauces can be harmful.
Related: 10 Benefits of a Salt-Free Lifestyle
Tips to go Low-Salt or Salt-Free
Going low-salt or salt-free requires a lot of patience and hard work. The reason is that salty foods are addictive so you’ll experience withdrawal symptoms. If you want to go salt-free, here are some steps to do it slowly so you can succeed.
1. Start Reading Food Labels
High salt is usually taken through food from the store. You can avoid this by making the habit of reading food labels. Look for low-sodium or no-salt alternatives to your favorite foods. This means that you won’t sacrifice your taste buds and avoid salt. FDA says that all foods with 20% or higher sodium than daily value are labeled as high in sodium foods. Avoid these foods at all costs.
2. Start Home Cooking
You can’t control how much salt is in your food when at a restaurant but can do so at home. This is why, we recommend you to start home cooking. You can control salt in your food and eat fresh food. Ingredients will be of high quality and there won’t be any processed foods in there. For home cooking, some common alternatives to salt are lemon juice, garlic, herbs and spices, etc. In the start, foods with low salt won’t taste better but your taste buds will get used to them over time.
3. Avoid Processed Foods
Processed and packaged foods can be swapped with whole grains, legumes, lean meats, and veggies to cut back on salt. The same goes for canned and frozen food. Canned foods range from soups to beans and vegetables, etc. Canned food is designed to last for decades.
For the preservation of this food, salt is mainly used. You can use some canned foods by simply rinsing them under cold water. This will remove some of the salt. Some companies have also launched the no-salt version of canned foods. Choose this version instead.