Quick tips on salty matters
HOW MUCH SALT IS TOO MUCH?
On average, most people consume between 9 000 and 12 000 milligrams of sodium a day, roughly over three times the recommended amount.
The American Heart Association (AHA) suggests keeping daily sodium levels at 2 300 milligrams maximum, with less than 1 500 milligrams being preferred, especially for adults with high blood pressure.
SIGNS THAT YOU ARE CONSUMING TOO MUCH SALT.
You need to urinate a lot: A classic sign that you are consuming too much salt. When you mostly feel an urgent need to wake up in the middle of the night to urinate. However, this could also be a symptom of UTIs (Urinary Tract Infections), diabetes and an over-active bladder. Consult your doctor to confirm. Nevertheless, too much salt could be a reason for it.
Persistent thirst: Constant thirst happens because foods with high sodium content mess with your body's fluid balance. Your body continues to give you a signal that it needs more water to restore salt balance in your body. The best way to make up for this is to drink lots of water.
Unusual swelling: Consuming too much salt can give you swelling in different parts of the body. This could be a reason why you feel bloated in the morning. The swelling can be felt on the fingers and around the ankles. This swelling is caused by excessive fluids in the body’s tissues and is known as oedema.
You find food bland and boring: Feeling the need to add more salt to food or always finding it bland and boring is probably because you are consuming too much salt. Over time, your taste buds adapt to that flavour and that is where your need to add more salt to food comes from.
Frequent mild headaches: Do you experience mild headaches every now and then? Chances are that these headaches are dehydration-induced. Consuming too much salt is likely to give you headaches in short intervals due to dehydration. Drink lots of water to beat these headaches.
Craving for salty foods: When your taste buds adapt to salty flavours, it craves for the same again and again. You suddenly feel the need to eat salted peanuts, chips and other salty treats.
References: The American Heart Association, British Medical Journal and South African Medical Journal