Is it a real threat to health or a basic ingredient for your life? A complete analysis on this seasoning.
The world has declared war on salt. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 70 million people in the world have high blood pressure. For this reason, the Institute of Medicine of the United States urged the government of that country to set parameters to follow in the sodium content of food; while the American Heart Association, along with New York City and 30 others, promote the National Salt Reduction Initiative. Do you think you should participate? It is a tough battle. “If people really want to reduce their consumption, can they do it? And not just avoid processing or eating food from restaurants”, says Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition, studies in food and public health at the University of New York, in the United States. The truth is that salt may not be the true enemy. Therefore, before you get into the fight, put aside hysteria and get into new smart studies on nutrition.
Can we live without salt?
No . Salt is essential for health. The metabolism cannot work without it; the cells need them, says Aryan Aiyer, director of the Magee-Women’s Heart Center at the University of Pittsburgh, in the United States, who recommends consuming at least 3.8 grams of salt per day (half a teaspoon), mainly for the sodium. This mineral is an electrolyte that helps maintain muscle function and body hydration. For this reason, energy drinks contain it. You constantly lose it through sweat and urine and, if you don’t replenish it, your blood pressure will drop to levels that will cause slight dizziness. “Sodium acts like a sponge that helps you keep fluids in your blood,” explains Rikki Keen, assistant instructor of dietetics and nutrition at the University of Alaska.
However, people who drink too much water during the day can cause their sodium levels to drop a lot and develop hyponatremia (when sodium levels drop below 135 mmol / L), a more common life-threatening condition among people who practice recreational sports that among professional athletes, says Marie Spano, an Atlanta sports nutritionist. As you will see, salt does much more than just flavor your food .
Do I need to monitor my salt intake to the fullest?
Not necessarily. If you suffer from high blood pressure, surely the doctor recommended that you stop using salt. The mechanism seems to be clear: sodium causes your body to retain more water in the blood, therefore your heart has to pump harder , which ultimately raises your blood pressure. But if yours is high, then the problem increases. (High salt intake can be dangerous for people who are sensitive to sodium, meaning they have trouble excreting their excess.)
What if you are a healthy guy?The United States Institute of Medicine recommends that people over 14 years old should only consume a maximum of two thousand 300 milligrams of salt per day, and 1,500 milligrams for middle-aged people, seniors, African Americans, and those with kidney disorders , hypertension or diabetes. The reality is that most people exceed those limits and, on average, consume three thousand 400 milligrams a day. However, some doctors say that this is not a big problem for most men. Lowering salt intake, in principle, can have adverse effects on your health, says the specialist. In a study published in The Journal of Hypertension it was determined that people who decreased the consumption of this mineral to only one gram a day experienced a drop in blood pressure, but high heart rate and reduced insulin sensitivity, which increases the risk of developing diabetes. “Clinical studies are needed to determine the cause of these effects and what is the reduction in salt consumption that generates health benefits for the population,” Alderman details. This does not make us forget that salt increases blood pressure.“The most important message is that being overweight also increases blood pressure,” adds Spano.
Is there anything I can eat that counteracts the effect of salt on my blood pressure?
Yes. A quick biology lesson: your body constantly strives for the balance between sodium outside each cell and potassium inside. In 2006, the American Heart Association determined in the journal Hypertension that an increase in potassium consumption can lower blood pressure in the same way as reducing sodium intake. Even the specialists of the Institute of Medicine cannot deny that “the relationship between potassium and sodium is more closely associated with blood pressure than with the ingestion of any of the substances separately . “
Unfortunately, extremely salty processed foods have set aside the main sources of potassium in our diet: fresh fruits and vegetables. Nutrition research reveals that young men barely consume 60 to 70 percent of the recommended daily dose of that mineral (4,700 milligrams).
Should I avoid salt when I cook?
Do not worry. Adding salt to the water where you cook the pasta will not take your blood pressure to the clouds. This is because up to 77 percent of the sodium in the average diet comes from fast food and that prepared in restaurants, according to research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). English). 12 percent is found naturally in food and five percent is added during home preparation.
Therefore, “you should not throw away the salt shakers you have at home or buy a salt substitute for cooking, since salt is a good natural seasoning and an important member of your diet,” explains Harold McGee, author of On Food and Cooking. “After all, our brains are hungry for salt because we need it to survive,” adds Leslie Stein, a research associate at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia. That seasoning allows our mouth to taste food, reduce bitter tastes and release sweets. In fact, without the proper ration of salt, many foods will lack flavor.“It is also essential in baking chemistry,” says Stein. Choose kosher salt for cooking and add sea salt to the dishes already served, both products are free of additives.
Why do processed foods contain too much salt?
It’s complicated. Salt makes food taste rich. But that is not the only reason. “People immediately get hooked on the flavor that these products provide,” says Howard Moskowitz, co-founder of Chemical Senses magazine. “They have become addicted to the rich and deep flavor that salt provides. If you take it off, people will simply stop buying them. ” In addition, salt hides other flavors created during the production of these foods, which provide them with texture, color and allow them to be preserved longer. Let’s face it: where else can an industry that generates 600 billion dollars find a cheap ingredient? Whether or not the salt itself is dangerous to your health will depend on the amount and source of where you consume it.