Most Brits eat far more salt than recommended per day.
Contrary to popular belief, most of the salt you consume does not come from the salt shaker sitting in your kitchen cabinet.
In fact, most of the popular condiments you consume throughout the day are hidden in the foods you eat. items you buy at the grocery store, such as bread, cookies, breakfast cereals, sauces and condiments.
This hidden salt makes up about three-quarters of the salt people eat, according to a doctor. To make matters worse, people are eating a third more than the maximum recommended limit of six grams of salt a day.
Luckily, your hands can reveal whether you're guilty of eating too much of the popular condiment.
Salt causes your body to retain water, which can seep into your tissues and cause swelling. Therefore, your fingers may become swollen as a result of eating too much of a common ingredient.
When you eat excessive amounts of salt, your body stores excess sodium and increases the amount of fluid outside your cells.
“This is not an immediate reaction after eating, but if you notice swelling in these areas within the next 24 hours after eating salty foods areas, this may be a connection. It’s better to seek medical help if this happens constantly, as this could be a sign of a more serious health problem,” says general practitioner Irina Andreeva, specially for MedicForum.
Your legs can also cause anxiety
In addition to the hands, swelling, also known as edema, can also affect the ankles or feet.
“Swelling in these areas may become more noticeable if you sit for too long or are on long trips.”
Research linked high daily salt intake with swelling of the legs.
After examining data from 52 patients who were hospitalized with suspected benign prostate enlargement or prostate cancer, the research team looked at patients who frequently needed to go to the toilet at night, one of the hallmark signs of prostate cancer.
“The results showed that “Excess sodium intake may also increase nighttime urination. In addition, the research team noticed that participants also experienced swelling in their legs,” the doctor comments on the study.
How to Reduce Salt Intake
Fortunately, Understanding food labels can help you choose foods that don't contain popular ingredients.
Andreeva recommends checking the nutritional information on food labels to determine whether they are low, medium or high in salt. You can then compare your favorite foods to other foods to find the healthiest option.
Following these guidelines will help you understand the salt content of foods:
- Low – 0.3g salt or less per 100g
- Medium – 0.3-1.5g salt per 100g (usually ok to eat)
- High level – 1.5 g of salt or more per 100 g (try to avoid it or eat it only occasionally).
MedicForum previously wrote about the need to limit caffeine in the fall.
Important! Information is provided for reference purposes . Ask a specialist about contraindications and side effects and under no circumstances self-medicate. At the first signs of illness, consult a doctor.