How to Tell If Your Daily Diet Contains Too Much Sodium: Some Insights
Salt is an important seasoning in all cuisines. It would be hard to find a recipe that doesn't instruct you to "season with salt and pepper" to avoid bland or tasteless meals. Additionally, a small amount of sodium is necessary to maintain good health. However, many Americans consume more sodium than necessary. According to the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), healthy adults should consume up to 2300 mg of salt per day; individuals with high blood pressure should limit themselves to 1500 mg or less per day. Those with other serious illnesses may need even less. So, how can you tell if your daily diet contains too much sodium? Here are some signs indicating that you may be overdoing it with salt.
You Eat Processed Foods
Processed foods are the number one cause of excessive salt consumption. Some everyday foods contain a lot of salt (sodium). If you consume them in large quantities, there is a reasonable chance that your sodium level exceeds recommendations. Among these foods are canned foods, soups, and broths, frozen/ready meals, pickles, olives, and other jarred foods, sauces like soy sauce and ketchup, cheeses, as well as foods with added salt like nuts and chips. This is particularly true if you are sedentary. According to Elizabeth Shaw, a dietitian, "People who feed on processed foods, especially ready meals, chips, and bread, consume an excessive amount of sodium compared to the recommendation of 2300 mg per day or ideally 1500 mg for most adults." When excessive amounts are consumed regularly and patients are sedentary, the risks of cardiovascular diseases and hypertension increase. So avoid these foods and opt for fresh, whole, low-sodium foods to meet the recommended amounts.
You Are Dehydrated
Consuming too much salt promotes water retention. According to Liz Blom, a dietitian, "Friday night pizza, you know, the one with extra olives? It's full of salt, and no matter what you wash it down with, it will leave you dehydrated. The next morning, you'll wake up thirsty and maybe even with a slight headache or stomach ache." This is not much different from waking up after a night of drinking. But it's not necessary to consume too much alcohol to get a hangover. Blom continues, "Alcohol or not, deli meats, salty cheeses, and olives can blow your daily salt limit, leaving you bloated, lethargic, and with a dry mouth. From my experience, food hangovers are real." To avoid this, change the toppings on your pizza or avoid these foods altogether.
You Feel Bloated
"Have you ever experienced a ring fitting you one day and not the next?" asks Blom. If the answer is yes, you may be experiencing the effects of excess sodium in your body. "Too much salt can cause bloating and puffiness. An excess of salt causes an imbalance in the body," she says. "This is called edema, it's swelling of the tissues due to excess fluids. This excess fluid will likely show up on the scale." In addition to feeling bloated, your weight will increase, which would depress most of us. And as you might have guessed, this excess fluid is a sign of a too-salty diet. Rosanne Rust, a dietitian, confirmed to me that "water retention can be due to overconsumption of salt. Water retention can manifest as swelling of the fingers or eyes and weight gain. You may also feel thirsty after a salty meal." So it's clear: salt = bloating.
Your Palate Has Changed
Have you ever found yourself at a dinner table monopolizing the salt shaker? Or being the only one at the table using it when no one else needs to? It's likely then that your overconsumption of salt is affecting your taste perception. According to Rust, "Our palates can become accustomed to overconsumption of salt but can also adapt to a low-salt diet. Once the amount of salt and processed foods is reduced, you can retrain your palate, and you will feel more 'sensitive' to salty foods." Even though it will be challenging at first because food will seem bland, it's good for your health to give up the salt shaker and all those salty foods. Plus, there are different salt alternatives that will add flavor to your food without the negative effects.
Your Stomach Is Upset
Stomach pains can have many causes: you've eaten too much, you have an intestinal problem,... But in some cases, salt consumption could also be to blame. A high-salt diet can cause digestive problems, and some can be severe. A high-salt diet affects H. pylori, a bacterium in the stomach, increasing the risk of gastritis and stomach ulcers. These digestive problems can be very painful, causing severe pain, nausea, and vomiting. If you think your high-sodium diet could be the cause of your digestive problems, reduce your salt intake and talk to your doctor.
You Have High Blood Pressure
75 million Americans suffer from hypertension, roughly one-third of the adult population. And one of the risk factors is a high-sodium diet, so it's important to monitor your salt intake. If you already have high blood pressure, you should limit your salt intake to 2300 milligrams per day. To do this, limit your consumption of processed products, pay attention to the sodium content on food labels, look for canned goods labeled "low salt" or "low sodium," and eat out less often. Regular restaurants as well as fast-food places serve dishes containing much more salt and sodium than what you could prepare at home. There is a direct link between hypertension and cardiovascular disease. A high-salt diet can ultimately cause various heart problems (cardiac arrests, strokes, etc.). It is imperative to reduce your sodium intake and adopt a healthier lifestyle to avoid cardiovascular diseases.
You Have Kidney Stones
Passing a kidney stone is an extremely painful experience. However, one in twelve women will have a kidney stone at least once in her life, and one out of two will have a recurrence. Although there is no single cause of kidney stones, there are risk factors such as family history, dehydration, and a high-sodium diet. Such a diet increases the amount of calcium the kidneys have to process, increasing the risk of kidney stones. You can prevent kidney stones by drinking water all day, paying attention to your sodium intake, and following your doctor's advice.
Being Mindful of Your Daily Salt Intake
Salt is an essential seasoning in cuisines around the world, and without it, food may lack flavor. But clearly, overconsumption can wreak havoc on your body, so it's essential to watch your intake. When cooking, salt moderately and taste often; you may not need as much salt as the recipe suggests. Read food labels carefully, monitor your sodium intake, avoid foods with too much added salt, and get rid of the salt shaker on your table. Use fresh herbs to add flavor to your dishes. Get to know spices, use them instead of condiments like soy sauce and ketchup. Over time and with a little patience, you will be surprised at the improvement in your taste experience.