Less Salt Doesnt Mean Less Intake! Be Alert to Hidden Salt in Daily Life, Maintain a Healthy Diet, and Stay Away from High Blood Pressure!

Less Salt Doesnt Mean Less Intake! Be Alert to Hidden Salt in Daily Life, Maintain a Healthy Diet, and Stay Away from High Blood Pressure!Nowadays, we all realize that eating too much salt is bad for our health and can easily induce cardiovascular diseases, like high blood pressure. However, some research claims that people who eat more salt have longer lifespans

Less Salt Doesnt Mean Less Intake! Be Alert to Hidden Salt in Daily Life, Maintain a Healthy Diet, and Stay Away from High Blood Pressure!

Nowadays, we all realize that eating too much salt is bad for our health and can easily induce cardiovascular diseases, like high blood pressure. However, some research claims that people who eat more salt have longer lifespans. Is this true?

A Groundbreaking Discovery: Do People Who Eat More Salt Live Longer?

• A study published in the European Heart Journal investigated salt intake, life expectancy, and mortality rates of populations in 181 countries and regions. The findings showed that as salt intake increased, the life expectancy of the subjects also increased.

The study found that a 2.5g increase in daily salt intake was correlated with a 2.6-year increase in life expectancy, and a 0.3-year increase in life expectancy at the age of 60. Additionally, the study found that a 1g increase in daily sodium intake could reduce mortality by 131/1 million people.

However, this research is not credible. The researchers didn't adjust for factors like GDP and average weight in different countries, and didn't explicitly clarify the causal relationship between increased salt intake and life expectancy. Therefore, it is not worthy of reference, just a mere observation.

Too Much Salt Leads to Stupidity: The Harm of Eating Too Much Salt Goes Beyond High Blood Pressure

A low-salt diet has become a common health consensus, but there are different opinions on whether salt restriction is beneficial or harmful to the body.

First, we need to understand: is salt really that scary? Not really. The chemical composition of salt is sodium chloride. This substance plays a very important role in the body's metabolism. Sodium mainly exists in the form of ions in the extracellular fluid, playing physiological roles in maintaining osmotic pressure, regulating acid-base balance, and forming gastric acid.

This doesn't mean that the more sodium you take in, the better. Excessive sodium intake can lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Data shows that excessive sodium intake is the "culprit" behind China's ranking as first in the world for deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and cancer.

• A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that the salt intake of 3-6-year-old children in China has reached the WHO's recommended maximum salt intake for adults. Slightly older children consume close to 9g of salt per day.

There are many harmful effects of consuming too much salt:

• Harmful to Cardiovascular Health: A high-salt diet can lead to increased blood pressure and accelerated vascular aging, ultimately increasing the risk of developing high blood pressure. Research shows that reducing daily salt intake from 9.4g to 4.4g can lower blood pressure by 4.18/2.06mmHg. Furthermore, a high-salt diet can also increase the risk of stroke. An increase of 1.15g in daily salt intake can increase the risk of stroke by 6%.

• Increased Risk of Stomach Cancer and Colon Cancer: Salt has a high osmotic pressure. Excessive salt intake can damage the gastric mucosa. It can also reduce gastric acid secretion, decreasing the protective ability of the gastric mucosa. This further increases the risk of gastric ulcers and stomach cancer. In addition, excessive salt intake can disrupt the balance of intestinal flora, leading to dysfunctions in its function. The risk of colon cancer can also increase.

• Impact on Cognitive Function: Research has shown that a high-salt diet can affect the brain's cognitive function. Long-term high-salt diets can strengthen oxidative stress in the hippocampus and intestinal inflammation, easily leading to memory impairment. This impact is greater for the elderly.

• Osteoporosis: The sodium ions in salt are related to the body's calcium metabolism. When sodium is excreted, it takes away some calcium ions. Every 1000mg of sodium excreted can lead to the loss of about 26mg of calcium. Long-term ingestion of large amounts of salt can lead to a massive loss of calcium, easily inducing osteoporosis.

Less Salt Doesnt Mean Less Intake! Be Alert to Hidden Salt in Daily Life!

China's dietary guidelines suggest that residents' daily salt intake should not exceed 5g. Many people think that as long as their food doesn't taste salty, they won't exceed the limit. However, there are many seemingly unsalty foods in life that are actually high in salt. You should try to eat less of these types of food:

• Candied Fruit: Candied fruits taste sweet and make many people think they don't contain salt. In reality, a large amount of salt is added during the production process. Eating 10 plums a day will basically exceed your daily salt requirement.

• Noodles: Noodles are chewy because salt is added during production. A 100g serving of noodles contains about 3g of salt, which is more than half of a person's daily salt requirement. When eating noodles, make sure to use less salt.

• Seasonings: MSG, oyster sauce, chicken essence, soy sauce, and fermented bean paste all contain high amounts of salt. When using these seasonings, you must reduce the amount of salt you use.

• Processed Meats: Processed meats like bacon, ham, roast chicken, and canned meat are all made with large amounts of salt. Control the amount you consume on a daily basis.

Salt is indispensable for health, but more is not better. You must control your daily salt intake and avoid exceeding the limit, as it can affect your health.

Summary:

• Eating more salt doesnt mean a longer lifespan. Don't be misled by unscientific research findings.

• A high-salt diet is harmful in many ways. It not only easily induces hypertension but also increases the risk of diseases such as stomach cancer and colon cancer, affects cognitive function, and accelerates osteoporosis.

• Be alert to "hidden salt" in your daily life, such as candied fruits, noodles, seasonings, and processed meats. Control your salt intake when eating these foods.

• Maintain healthy eating habits and control your salt intake to stay away from hypertension and live a healthy life.

References:

• [1] EHJ: Do people who eat more salt live longer? Data from 181 European countries overturn common knowledge! [Xiaogou Literature, 2021-01-23]

• [2] Salt is Lost? What Damage Does Eating Too Much Salt Do to the Body? [Shenzhen Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2024-06-14]

• [3] Small Habit, Big Hidden Danger, Be Alert to These Hidden Salts in Food! [China Medical Forum, 2023-06-12]

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