For the body to function and stay healthy, it needs a certain amount of salt. Sodium Chloride regulates the body’s water balance and tissue tension and it is essential for the excitability of muscles and nerves. It also participates in digestion and bone structure. But in excess, it becomes a cause of problems.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends this Do not consume more than 5 g of salt per day. But many of us eat much more than we need. The salt we add in cooking and dressing is an important part of the intake, but we also take other amounts that go unnoticed through ultra-processed foods.
The foods with the most added salt are aged cheeses, pickles and other preserves, ready meals and delicacies. At the end of the day, we Spaniards consume an average of 10 grams of salt, double the recommended amount.
We take too much salt
If the body gets too much salt, the excess is excreted through the kidneys. The body also loses water, which makes us thirsty. If in the long run the excess salt remains, the kidneys become overloaded.
If you do not drink enough, too much sodium causes blood vessels to narrow and thus increase blood pressure. Therefore, one of the advice given to people with high blood pressure is to reduce their salt intake.
If the intake of salt is too high, it can be poisonous. Sodium removes water from cells, which is physiological stress. If the water balance is not restored, diarrhea and vomiting occur. In severe cases, lack of water can lead to heart and respiratory failure or even death.
10 Physical Signs You’re Eating Too Much Salt
1. However, the constant
If you have eaten salty foods, your body will ask for water more often. It is essential to meet this need because the body needs it for mineral balance on the outside and inside of cells. Likewise, excessive thirst can also be a sign of type 1 diabetes.
2. Swelling of the face
When you wake up in the morning, the area around your eyes and cheeks may be inflamed. A higher salt intake the day before can be the cause of this. Excess salt causes fluid is trapped between cells and the tissues literally swell.
3. The scale shows more weight
It is not always too much calories that will make you gain weight. Salt retains moisture and it weighs, but don’t panic, a day with little salt and lots of water (Yes, although it may seem parody because it is exactly about diluting the sodium) it will help eliminate excessive water retention.
4. Food tastes bland.
Eating processed and prepared foods too often can numb our perception of salty taste. People who suffer from this often say that they think vegetables are very bland. It is important to consciously reduce the amount of salt added. Since the taste buds on the tongue are regularly renewed, they can get used to low-salt foods.
Learn to use salt properly
Constant headache
Headaches can be caused by excessive salt intake. Typical characters are punctures and pressure in the area of the temples, because salt dilates blood vessels in the brain. With this type of headache it is important that you drink a lot of water.
6. Kidney stones
If the salt concentration in the urine rises and the kidneys are not flushed with enough water, crystals can form. The salts are deposited in layers, causing kidney stones to form over time. Stones can be very painful.
It is important that you drink 1.5 to 2 liters per day, more if you exercise a lot or it is hot. This cleans the kidneys and prevents waste from accumulating. If small kidney stones have already formed, it also helps to drink a lot and exercise to get them out.
7. High blood pressure
An optimal blood pressure is 120/80. However, too much salt can lead to high blood pressure in the long run as the blood vessels constrict and harden, which means the heart has to pump faster and with more pressure.
If you already have high blood pressure, you should carefully monitor your salt intake and be monitored regularly.
8. You are sick more often
In one experiment, researchers divided mice into two groups and fed them low-salt foods and other high-salt foods for a week. The mice were then infected with the bacteria Listeria and E. Coli, which are found in our food. Mice fed a low-salt diet had more immune cells than mice fed a high-salt diet. In the group that received a high-salt diet, the infections also lasted significantly longer.
Less salt, more flavor: there are alternatives
9. Sleep disorders
Eating foods that are too salty can lead to sleep disturbances such as restless sleep, frequent awakenings and restlessness in the morning upon waking. The most restless sleep occurs when a lot of salt is consumed at night a high sodium content leads to increased blood pressure and fluid retention.
10. Water and electrolyte disturbance
Hypernatraemia means that you have too much salt in your blood. This transfers the fluid and electrolyte balance of your body. A doctor can determine this with a blood count. If there is a strong excess of salt, edema may occur, it is the accumulation of water in certain areas of the body tissue. In severe cases it can even lead to unconsciousness or an epileptic seizure.