
Salt is necessary for our body as it maintains fluid balance, prevents cramps, allows the absorption of nutrients in the intestine and regulates sleep, among other benefits. However, for our body to get the benefits of salt, a very small amount of daily salt is needed compared to what we consume. And it is its excess that can cause us serious risks to our health. Why do we consume so much?
Salt for everything
For a proper functioning of our body, we would need to consume salt of between 3 to 6 grams daily. And the reality is that most people ingest much more than that amount. The problem is that almost all foods already have salt incorporated, either by their very nature, or because the manufacturer adds it, therefore, our touches of salt at home would be left over. That innocent gesture of taking the salt shaker can cause us more than one health problem.
Excessive salt consumption can lead to cardiovascular problems, kidney failure, osteoporosis and stomach cancer, among other serious conditions. It also causes fluid retention thus favoring the appearance of hypertension.
Several studies have shown the advantage for our health to reduce salt consumption, because they reduce heart disease and strokes, thus increasing the quality of life.
Tips for reducing salt intake
Taking into account that only 10% of the salt we consume is found in food naturally, that 75% is added in its manufacture and that there is still 15% of salt that we add, we should follow certain dietary guidelines when reducing salt in meals.
First of all, avoid those foods that already contain a large amount of salt, such as sausages, pickles, smoked meats, canned fish, precooked dishes, broth concentrates, envelope soups, chips, etc. It is therefore advisable to base our diet on fruits and vegetables, and fresh foods to avoid the salt added by producers. In homemade food, when preparing the dish ourselves, we can avoid adding more salt than necessary. It is preferable that the dish is bland, and if necessary you can add salt at the end of the preparation.
In any case, it is a re-education of the palate. We’re used to eating food with extra salt that they don’t really need, so it’s all a matter of getting used to it. There are also other alternatives to salt, to give our dishes a touch of flavor. Spices, aromatic herbs, garlic, oil and lemon are a good option to enhance the flavor of food without having to resort to the salt shaker.
If you want to enjoy a better quality of life, consider reducing the amount of salt. You don’t need to remove the salt overnight, because the change in taste is going to be drastic. You can start by adding less salt to your dishes and gradually reduce the amount until you no longer need it. Remember that the amount of salt we need is minuscule and is well covered without adding it to our kitchen.