Why is eating too much salt not good for you?

Too much salt is not good for you, and it is actually in almost everything. Igloo explains exactly what salt does to your body and why it is important to eat less salt. We give tips for eating less salt.

The maximum amount of salt that you should ingest as an adult is six grams per day. Yet, the average Dutch person eats almost nine grams of salt a day. This can cause many health problems. Fortunately, you can prevent and counter these problems by eating less salt.

1.Salt and the heart:

Salt causes fluid retention, which increases blood pressure in your body. High blood pressure means that there is too much pressure on the artery walls of your heart. This makes the heart work harder to pump blood through your body. High blood pressure can cause cardiovascular disease.

2.Salt and your kidneys:

Your kidneys remove excess salt from your body and regulate the salt balance. When you get too much salt, they wear out and damage faster. When your kidneys are damaged, the risk of high blood pressure increases. During the process of salt removal by the kidneys, calcium is also automatically excreted. Calcium is necessary for the maintenance and building of your bones. The lack of calcium can lead to the decalcification of the bones.

Benefits of eating less salt

The benefits for your heart:

Eating less salt can result in lower blood pressure, which lowers your risk of cardiovascular disease.

The benefits for your kidneys when you eat less salt.

When you eat less salt, your kidneys don't wear or damage as quickly because they don't have to work extra hard to remove all that salt from your body. Also, your body, and especially your abdomen, will swell less quickly due to water retention. This also lowers blood pressure.

Tips

1.Herbs and spices to flavor your food

Only 10% of the salt we ingest comes from natural, unprocessed products. 75% of the salt we consume comes from processed products. We add the remaining 15% ourselves while cooking or while eating. When you add salt yourself, it is best not to use salt from salt mills: a salt mill produces much coarser grains, adding more salt to the food. For example, to give your food taste, it is better to add fresh or dried herbs.

2.Have patience

Starting to eat less salt often seems like an impossible task. If you are used to eating a lot of salt, food with less or without salt can taste very bland. After all, salt is a flavor enhancer. It is good to know that this is partly also habituation. When you eat less salt step by step, you get used to the taste. When you eat less salt for a while and then eat a dish with a lot of salt again, you immediately taste that this has a strong and unpleasant taste. So don't let the bland taste discourage you in the beginning. Your taste can change!

3.Be critical

there are many alternatives to table salt available. Think of Himalayan salt, sea salt, or Celtic salt. Be critical of these alternatives. The sodium content is usually the same in the alternatives. Sodium can lead to higher blood pressure and calcium loss. Also, there is often no iodine in salt substitutes, which is an essential element for regulating metabolism. So pay attention when you buy an alternative to table salt whether this is a better alternative. Often this is not the case; salt is salt.

4.Read the label

Since most processed products contain salt, it is no wonder that 85% of the Dutch population consumes more salt than the recommended guideline of 6 grams per day. It is therefore important to read the labels of the processed food you eat. When you know what you eat, you can gain more insight into your salt intake. For example, eating less salt can help keep a food diary. In addition, it is also good to avoid certain processed products that are significantly high in salts, such as certain soups and sauces. This way, you change your diet into a diet with little change.