One thing salt and sugar have in common is their ability to enhance a wide variety of dishes. Unfortunately, taking either of these in moderation is also difficult. Our body needs a small amount of sodium to work properly, but too much sodium can be bad for your health.
Even if you avoid sugary sweets and salty snack foods, salt and sugar can both enter your diet through the recipes you prepare. What kind of damage can sugar and salt do to your body? Here are just a few of the reasons:
Excessive Salt Raises Blood Pressure
The average American’s main source of sodium, a dietary mineral that the body requires, is salt. Sodium aids in muscle function and the maintenance of fluid balance in the body. If your kidneys can’t keep up with the amount of sodium you consume, your body retains water to help dilute it.
Why is this a bad thing? Much of this fluid is then drawn into your blood vessels, increasing blood volume and increasing pressure within the vessels. High blood pressure increases your chances of having a heart attack or stroke.
Excessive Sodium leads to Kidney Damage
The strain that excess sodium puts on your kidneys causes more than just high blood pressure. Processing all of this sodium can also be taxing on them, resulting in function loss. A high-sodium diet may also increase your chances of developing kidney stones.
However, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends adults limit sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day—that’s equal to about 1 teaspoon of table salt!
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Intake of too much Sugar Could Lead to Liver Disease
When you consume sugar, your body converts it into fructose and glucose. Glucose is found naturally in your body and in all living things. Your body, on the other hand, does not produce fructose. Your liver must process all of the fructose that you consume. Furthermore, if your liver is overworked, it converts excess fructose into fat. This can result in a condition known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which can lead to liver cancer.
Sugar and Insulin Resistance
Insulin is a hormone produced by your body that is required for glucose processing. It is what allows the glucose in your bloodstream to enter your cells and be used for energy. However, insulin is not as effective as it should be in a high-sugar diet. Your cells develop a sort of resistance to it, and as a result, your body requires more to function. Diabetes and cardiovascular disease are primarily caused by this increasing insulin resistance.
It’s difficult to cut back on salt or sugar! However, doing so can save your body from serious harm. Check the nutrition facts on everything you eat and keep your salt and sugar intake to a minimum. The benefits to your health will be well worth your time and effort.
What is sugar?
Sugar is any of a number of sweet, colorless, water-soluble compounds found in seed plant sap and mammalian milk that comprise the simplest group of carbohydrates. Sucrose, a crystalline tabletop and industrial sweetener used in foods and beverages, is the most common sugar.
For an adult, who has a normal BMI, WHO recommends only 6 teaspoons of sugar, which is 25 grams to be exact.
Times of India
What is Salt?
Salt, also known as sodium chloride, is composed of roughly 40% sodium and 60% chloride. It is used to flavor food and as a binder and stabilizer. It also serves as a food preservative because bacteria cannot thrive in the presence of a high concentration of salt. A small amount of sodium is required by the human body to conduct nerve impulses, contract and relax muscles, and maintain proper water and mineral balance.
