How much salt is healthy and when it is dangerous?

salt was once more valuable than Gold – and Justus von Liebig, a famous chemist of the 19th century. Century, is quoted with the words: "salt is among all the

How much salt is healthy and when it is dangerous?

salt was once more valuable than Gold – and Justus von Liebig, a famous chemist of the 19th century. Century, is quoted with the words: "salt is among all the precious stones that gives us the earth, the most precious." In fact, we need salt to survive: "the salt is for the human body life is important because it is attitude of different body is for the maintain functions. So, among other things, the blood pressure of the people will be affected because of fluid balance is the amount of absorbed salt, because salt binds to in the body of the water,“ explains the Doctor, and nutrition expert Dr. Anne spot. In addition to the survival of the important functions that supported salt in our body, it serves always to food preservation – what made it especially in the middle ages, when there were no refrigerators and freezers, so valuable.

if you like it not salty?

Our sense of taste is trimmed since the dawn of time to salt, we like it because we need it to Survive. Therefore, the unsalted food does not taste to us, we perceive it as a fade. Today, salt is to buy for less than 20 cents per pound, and we often consume too much of it: The German nutrition society (DGE) recommends, for example, for young people and adults have a maximum intake of 6 grams per day . "This corresponds to about one teaspoon of ", so the nutritionist Astrid Donalies by the DGE, they explained: "men in the age from 18 to 79 years old take on average 10 grams of salt per day, men over the age of 30-39 years was 10.6 grams" – so much more than recommended. Women take an average of 8.4 grams per day less salt than men – but still more than the recommended maximum amount.

Too much salt is harmful for blood pressure

So important is salt for our body so too much of it harms us. Astrid Donalies says: "If is consumed too much salt , this is accompanied by an increase in blood pressure – the risk of developing high blood pressure (hypertension) increases. High blood pressure is one of the most important risk factors for the Occurrence of cardiovascular diseases . For this reason, the risk for cardiovascular disease increases by an increased salt consumption indirectly. Already in blood pressure in the suboptimal range, the risk is increased significantly. Overall, cardiovascular diseases are, with a share of almost 40 % the most common cause of death. (Also read: expert tips: This is the optimal diet for high blood pressure)

salt may be dangerous: high blood pressure and Fluid retention

Dr. Anne Fleck sees the high salt consumption is problematic: "Too much salt promotes hypertension , because he retention increases Liquid is favorable, and so the tension within the vessels. In addition, a permanently high salt intake also leads to a change in the composition of the intestinal multiple. The number of good lactobacilli decreases, the inflammation-promoting microbiome components and the inflammatory changes in the cells increases.“ (Also interesting: Google's AI heart diseases by Iris)

Why we eat too much salt recognizes?

Mainly because we eat too many ready-made products. These usually contain too much salt, because it is cheap and improves the taste . So, for example, cans of Ravioli containing 1 gram of salt per 100 grams – a 800-gram cans suggests so, with 8 grams to beech, which is already significantly above the maximum recommended daily amount. In addition to the ready meals the food increases out of the house and the high consumption of the processed foods bread, meat, sausages and cheese, our salt intake. Particularly a high salt intake in salt-sensitive people are affected by the way. Astrid Donalies says: "The reaction of blood pressure to changes in salt intake is the same for all. (Read also: how much water should we actually

drink) There are so-called "salt-sensitive" people , which react to changes in salt intake with a change in blood pressure. For example, studies have shown that approximately 30 % to 50 % of the Hypertensive patients and in 10 % to 20 % of people with normotonem blood pressure (systolic < 140 mm Hg; diastolic < 90 mm Hg) blood pressure is sensitive to the intake of salt is not responding. In contrast, salt-sensitive people do not, or only with a low blood pressure change responsive to changes in salt intake.“ So how do we manage to eat less salt?

(read More: how Much truth is in these 8 nutrition myths?) to eat

tips to reduce salt:

1. Prefer fresh cook than eat ready-made meals

anyone Who is cooking can control how much salt he used. It needs to go quickly, try to use products that contain as little as possible salt, for example, frozen vegetables without Sauce or pure (TK)-fish fillet without breading. (Also interesting: These foods have to look in the fridge nothing)

2. Not too much in the preparation of salts

Who in to be on the stove köchelndes Curry salt scatters that can quickly lose the Overview – do not enter it directly from the pack in the pot or pan, but you take small Pinches with your fingers. In addition, economical salt when cooking, because the table salt if necessary is always on, so everyone can decide for themselves how much salt he'd like to take.

3. You can use fresh herbs instead of salt

fresh chopped parsley, chives, coriander or mint – herbs are great for Seasoning, they give the food a much more subtle flavor nuances and stuck also full of healthy ingredients – try it just once!

This article was written by (Eva Stammberger)

*The post "how Much salt is healthy and when is it dangerous?" is published by GQ. Contact with the executives here.

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Date Of Update: 14 June 2020, 16:27