The Damaging Health Effects of Excess Salt Consumption

Do you know that high salt intake:

Weakens your immune system
Promotes tissue inflammation
Activates autoimmune diseases ¹

Triggers hypertension ²
Affects heart health ³
Causes osteoporosis ⁴
Prompts cancer ⁵

These side effects of excess salt consumption have been observed over years by scientists and researchers.

As you can see, the conclusions are quite grim.

You see, to preserve a good health, a person should consume about 1,500 milligrams/day.

In reality, the average American takes in over 3,592 milligrams of salt/day.

And if you are:

over 50 years old

African-American

suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes or long-term kidney disease

Then you should know that too much salt can put your health in great danger.

Hidden Names for Salt

Even if you would like to lower your salt intake, reading the label won’t be as helpful as you’d think. There are alternative names which companies use to hide the word “salt”:

Sodium alginate
Sodium ascorbate
Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)
Sodium benzoate
Sodium caseinate
Sodium chloride
Sodium citrate
Sodium hydroxide
Sodium saccharin
Sodium stearoyl lactylate
Sodium sulfite
Disodium phosphate
Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
Trisodium phosphate
Na

So be careful the next time you buy something and check the labels thoroughly. It may take you a few minutes, but it will spare you a lifetime of pain.

Also, you could avoid the foods with the most salt content on the market.

Avoid These Common Foods Drowning with Salt ⁶

Frozen Dinners

Just 5 ounces of frozen turkey and gravy dinner contains 1,255 milligrams. That’s almost the entire quantity of salt accepted in an entire day.

Ready-to-Eat Cereals

Some raisin brands have up to 210 milligrams of sodium in each cup. So, go easy on them.

Vegetable Juices

One cup of vegetable juice cocktail has 615 milligrams.

Canned Vegetables

They usually contain added sodium from sauces or seasonings.

Packaged Deli Meats

Just two slices of dry salami made of beef or pork can have 362 milligrams of sodium. That makes it a problem since no one stops at just 2 or 4 slices.

Soup

Just one cup of canned chicken noodle soup can contain up to 831 milligrams of salt.

Marinades and Flavorings

One tablespoon of teriyaki sauce can have up to 879 milligrams of sodium. The same amount of soy sauce may have up to 1,005 milligrams.

Spaghetti Sauce

Just half a cup can contain 577 milligrams of salt and that quantity is not enough to coat a serving of pasta.

Canned Jalapeno Peppers

Just ¼ of a cup (either solid or liquid) has up to 434 milligrams of sodium.

Nut Bags

Most dry-roasted brands have 116 milligrams of sodium and that in just one single ounce.

Salty Snacks

These quite obviously contain quite a lot of salt and we all know we can’t stop at just a few.

Potato chips contain 136 milligrams/ounce.
Cheese puffs have 263 milligrams/ounce.
Pretzels contain 352 milligrams/ ounce.

Prepackaged Foods

Avoid the “all-in-one” boxes and the flavor packet, since you might be eating half of your daily allowance of salt in one serving.

Condiments Count

Some common condiments you use daily are filled with salt:

Ketchup (1 tablespoon) = 154 milligrams

Sweet relish (1 tablespoon) = 122 milligrams

Capers (1 tablespoon) = 202 milligrams (drained)

9 Tips to Cut Back On Salt

#1 Tip: Morning Breakfast

Instead of eating your usual high sugar, high salt cereal, try the healthier alternatives – puffed rice and wheat.

You can also search for low-sodium versions of cereals next time you go to the grocery store.

#2 Tip: Rinse Canned Vegetables

Why? They contain high amounts of salt that could seriously damage your health.

Instead, look for labels that say “no salt added” or “sodium”, or check in the freezer section, you might have more luck finding there an unsalted dish.

#3 Tip: Healthier Substitute for Marinades

Yes, you might love soy sauce, but even the “lower-sodium” one can have more than your heart can take.

For flavor, try vinegar or lemon juice, 100% healthier and 100% less salt (since they naturally don’t have any).

You can use orange or pineapple juice as the base of your meat marinades.

Healthy, exotic and incredibly tasty. You’ll see. (wink)

#4 Tip: Salt-Free Spices

You know those “all in one” shakers at the store, where you have three or four kinds of spices mixed into one shaker?

Well those – although they seem extremely convenient – they contain lots and lots of salt.

Best thing you can do?

Ditch them and find the salt-free version or choose the simple herbs. You won’t regret it.

#5 Tip: Watch Serving Sizes

Remember that every time you read the nutrition label, the amount of salt or sugar is NOT for the whole package.

It’s usually for one serving or 100 grams. So pay close attention to it.

#6 Tip: Food Label Cheat Sheet

No more confusion for you, next time you go to the grocery store, you’ll know exactly what to buy:

Sodium-free: Less than 5 milligrams a serving

Very low-sodium: 35 milligrams or less per serving

Low-sodium: Less than 140 milligrams per serving

Reduced sodium: 25% less sodium

Unsalted, no salt added, or without added salt: Made without the salt normally used, but still has the sodium that’s a natural part of the food itself.