A pinch of salt goes a long way. A little on the rim of a margarita glass or rubbed onto a juicy porterhouse can elevate the taste. However, we are using far more than a pinch. According to the American Heart Association, nine out of ten people in the United States consume too much salt on a daily basis. Yes, salt is in almost everything we eat and it is a world phenomenon.
Physicians suggest taking in no more than 2,300 milligrams of salt per day, but reports say that we actually consume around 3,400 mg per day on average – almost 50% more than is generally recommended.
Most of the salt we consume come from the packaged foods we buy. That being the case, it is possible to reduce your intake – but you’ll have to shop smart.
How can you find out if you’re one of those who consumes too much? Here’s a look at some of the ways your body may be trying to tell you to cut back on salt.
Constantly thirsty? It’s likely because you’re eating too much salt
As anyone who has ever downed a bowl of popcorn knows, salt makes us thirsty. Whether you’re getting your salt rush from pizza or a bag of chips, pies, soup, etc; all that sodium is going straight into your blood. To balance it out requires extra fluids. “We need some salt intake each day to help maintain water balance in the body as “Thirst is your body’s way of signaling to you that its fluid balance is out of equilibrium.” Naturally, you’re going to want to quench your thirst.
Too much salt can make you have to go to the bathroom more frequently
Eating too much salt changes the chemistry of your body. The reason is because of a complicated relationship between salt and water levels in the body. Basically, the body wants to keep levels of both substances balanced.
When you eat a lot of salt, it winds up in your bloodstream. Your body senses it is there and pushes more water into your blood in an attempt to even things out. As this is happening, your kidneys also begin to filter extra water out of your system in the form of urine. Meaning, the more salt you eat, the more urine your body ultimately produces.
You’re eating too much salt if you often feel bloated or swollen
The more you have salt roaming your bloodstream, the more water ends up there as well. A side effect of all that extra fluid? Tightness — everywhere! You may notice it in your torso in the form of bloating. Extra fluid in your blood from eating too much salt can also cause swelling in your extremities, especially your hands and feet. When fluid collects there, it’s called edema. “Edema is swelling caused by excess fluid trapped in your body’s tissues,” the Mayo Clinic explained. “Although edema can affect any part of your body, you may notice it more in your hands, arms, feet, ankles and legs.”
Too much salt could be the reason your food always tasteless
Automatically reaching for the salt shaker isn’t just an insult to the chef, it can also wreak havoc on your taste buds. According to a report published by the Institute of Medicine, “Salt enhances the positive sensory attributes of foods, even some otherwise unpalatable foods. It makes them ‘taste’ better. For people who are accustomed to high levels of salt in their food, its abrupt absence can make foods ‘taste’ bad.”
If your sex life is suffering, it could be a result of eating too much salt
Too much salt can put a definite damper on your sex life. For starters, there’s the obvious impact: Excess salt in your diet can increase blood pressure and cause your cholesterol levels to rise, both of which can restrict blood flow all over the body, including to the genitals. Both conditions can lead to erectile dysfunction. “Blood flow is what makes an orgasm possible, and too much salt will make it more difficult to get to that point.
The American Heart Association’s Sodium Reduction Initiative Team reported that too much salt in the diet can lead to problems with arousal for women as well, due to a decrease in blood flow to the vaginal area.
Frequent mild headaches could be the result of eating too much salt
Eating excessive amounts of salt on a regular basis can also cause blood vessels in the brain to expand, triggering painful headaches, nutritionist Mandy Enright told Women’s Health. The effects are pronounced.
Eating too much salt may cause you to develop high blood pressure
There’s a reason health experts around the world call high blood pressure a “silent killer.” It has few symptoms and most people aren’t even aware that their blood pressure is high — often until it’s too late. And one of the things that can cause high blood pressure is, as you might guess, overindulging in salt.
The water that salt pulls into your bloodstream in an attempt to balance out your system also increases the volume of your blood. That extra volume causes your blood to push outward against your arteries and veins, creating an increase in pressure, hence “high blood pressure.”
Frequently dry skin or eczema flares could be a sign that you’re eating too much salt
Although you might expect dry skin after being out in the cool air or after too much time under the sun or in the pool, researchers suggest that the amount of salt in our diets plays a significant role. It can trigger or worsen skin conditions like dermatitis and eczema.
Problems falling or staying asleep at night might be the result of too much salt in your diet
Move over caffeine and sugar. Some physicians are now adding excess salt to the list of foods most people shouldn’t eat before bed. A study found that following salt intake, the individuals had a harder time falling asleep, were less likely to stay asleep through the night, and their sleep was less fulfilling and restful. They even experienced an increase in both the frequency and severity of nightmares. The likely culprit for the problems sleeping is thirst and fluid retention. People had to get up more often during the night since they were thirsty and needed a drink.
Your chronic acne could be due to eating too much salt
Everybody gets a random acne, pimples or blackhead from time to time. “Pimples develop when sebaceous glands, or oil glands, become clogged and infected, leading to swollen, red lesions filled with pus,” according to Medical News Today. While isolated pimples are common and can occur at any age, frequent or chronic acne could be the result of your diet. More specifically, it could be the result of too many salty foods. A research published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, concluded that “the consumption of salty food [is] a possible participating factor in the development of acne.”
Your stomach troubles could be the result of eating too much salt
Excessive levels of salt in your stomach or intestines can alter the performance of your entire digestive system. For starters, “Eating large amounts of salt can lower the amount of water in your stool, making it harder to move things along in your digestive tract.” Large amounts of salt can also impact levels of the harmful H. pylori (Helicobacter pylori) bacteria living in the stomach.
- pylori is a type of bacteria that enters the body and lives in your digestive tract, causing the formation of ulcers over time. About two-thirds of the world’s population has this bacteria, and salt appears to make it worse. “High concentrations of salt in the stomach appear to induce gene activity in the ulcer-causing bacterium Helicobacter pylori, making it more virulent and increasing the likelihood of an infected person developing a severe gastric disease,” the American Society for Microbiology revealed.
You’re eating too much salt if your brain frequently feels foggy and you have trouble concentrating
A high salt diet may increase your risk for dementia and mental decline as you get older. A study found that as salt intake increased, the men were much more likely to develop significant cognitive impairment, cognitive decline, and attention deficits.
The findings further “reveal a mechanism that might link high salt intake with reduced brain functioning.”
If you’re mysteriously packing on some extra pounds, you may be eating too much salt
“Eating a lot of salt can cause your body to retain more water, which can show up on the scale as extra pounds.” When you consume large amounts of salt, your body retains additional amounts of water. This fluid can add more weight. Water has volume and by retaining it within your system, your weight can increase significantly.
If that extra water weight weren’t enough, salty foods can also lead to more body fat. “High salt diets appear to be linked to higher body fat — in particular, the kind of fat that accumulates around your middle.” Salty foods promote weight gain because they tend to have high calorific values and easy to overindulge on – increasing your risk of gaining weight if you eat them frequently.