Tip-Invisible danger: Salt and its traps for blood pressure and the heart!

 Tip-Invisible danger: Salt and its traps for blood pressure and the heart!

Salt: friend or foe?

Salt is essential for life. Salt doesn't just provide flavor: without it, we literally couldn't live. Our body needs sodium for vital functions, such as maintaining fluid balance, transmitting nerve impulses and contracting muscles.

However, when the recommended limits are exceeded, the effects of salt become dangerous. Sodium abuse is directly linked to serious diseases, such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, gastric cancer and kidney failure.

Hidden salt: the real enemy

The most alarming problem in our relationship with salt is its invisible consumption. According to the WHO, 80% of the salt we consume does not come from the salt shaker, but from processed and ultra-processed foods. Products that are designed to hook our taste buds and make it impossible to stop eating them: industrial sausages (with very high levels of sugar and sodium), concentrated soups and broths, snacks, ready-made meals, sweets, etc. Most of these products far exceed the ideal sodium levels. In fact, most of them contain monosodium glutamate, an additive present in many of these foods that contributes to increasing the amount of sodium in our diets in an almost imperceptible way.

Does salt make you fat? An inconvenient truth

Although salt does not provide calories by itself, high salt intake is associated with weight gain. How is this possible? Because eating too much salt stimulates the appetite, leading to the consumption of more food than necessary. Therefore, by reducing the use of salt in our meals, we can not only improve our health, but also better control our weight.

Healthy alternatives: it is possible to eat tasty foods without salt!

Reducing your salt intake does not mean giving up taste. Here are some strategies and substitutes that can transform your dishes:

Spices and herbs: Pepper, oregano, rosemary, garlic and basil not only enhance flavor, but also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Lemon juice or vinegar: These add a touch of acidity that enhances the natural flavors of foods.

Low-sodium salt substitutes: Some blends replace some of the sodium with potassium, which can be beneficial for those who need to control blood pressure.

Homemade stock: Making your own soup and stew bases allows you to control sodium levels.

Iodized salt: If you decide to use iodized salt, opt for this version, which is inexpensive and provides essential iodine to prevent thyroid disease.

How to easily reduce your salt intake

Changing habits can be tricky, but not impossible. Experts recommend:

Cook more at home: This gives you full control over the ingredients.

Read the labels: look for foods with less than 1.5 g of salt per 100 g of product.

Remove the salt shaker from the table: it's a simple gesture that can significantly reduce your daily consumption.

Try new flavors: the palate can be educated, so getting used to eating less and less salty dishes will be possible if we do it gradually. This will allow you to rediscover the true flavor of food.

Remember: your body needs salt, but in the right amount.