When thinking about health indicators, most of us immediately consider body weight, while blood pressure numbers are often overlooked. The common belief that blood pressure is unimportant is widespread, but before subscribing to this idea, take a moment to reconsider.
There is a strong connection between blood pressure and salt consumption, and it is important to understand that this impact does not only occur in old age or when blood pressure is high—it affects us at all times. Salt retains fluids in the body, and excessive intake increases fluid volume in our system. Over time, excessive salt consumption leads to an increase in fluid volume within our blood vessels, which places additional strain on the heart, making it work harder to pump blood throughout the body.
Prevention is better
Today, our bodies may handle this burden well, without immediately signaling any danger through elevated blood pressure levels. However, if we continue to overconsume salt, health problems can arise suddenly and unexpectedly. It is always smarter to prevent issues rather than fight them later.
You have probably read that our daily salt requirement is about one teaspoon. While it may seem like we add salt to our food only occasionally, the actual daily salt intake can be significantly higher. Salt is found in bread, ready-made sauces, processed meats, convenience foods, etc. For example, a single bowl of canned soup already contains the recommended daily salt intake—and that’s far from the only food we consume in a day.
Why do we crave salty food?
Over time, our salt consumption has increased significantly. Many people claim they simply like salty food. However, the habit of consuming salt is about more than just preference. When we increase our salt intake, the salt concentration in our saliva also rises. To perceive the saltiness in food, the salt content in the food must be higher than in our saliva. Thus, the need for saltier food is not a unique preference but a habit created by excessive salt consumption. The good news is that this can be corrected by gradually reducing salt intake. Initially, this may seem challenging, as changing long-standing habits is difficult.
Experts from different fields have provided some useful tips to help you make healthier choices:
- Avoid processed foods with high salt content. Check the salt levels on packaging. For meat products, the salt content should not exceed 1.2%, and for sauces, cheeses, and other products, it should be up to 0.7%.
- Use more herbs for seasoning and measure the salt you add with a spoon to track your actual consumption.
- Do not keep a salt shaker on the dining table. This reduces the likelihood of adding extra salt to meals.
- Choose salt with lower sodium content, such as Cardioza Südamesool.
As with any successful change, adjusting to a lower-salt diet takes time. Studies by various specialists have shown that it takes at least three weeks to get used to a diet with one-third less salt.
Making conscious and health-friendly choices can give you up to 20 extra years of healthy life. Isn’t that worth the effort?
