What is an indispensable flavoring ingredient in a meal? Of course, there’s no prize for guessing, it’s salt. Can you include or exclude any other seasoning, even chili, but salt? No way. Most of us tend to leave our food by sprinkling more salt on the table. It is ironic that the same food that is the main source of flavoring can also be harmful to your health if consumed in excess. Health experts have warned us not to consume too much salt to avoid heart related problems and high blood pressure. But did you know that adding salt to your cooked meals can cut your lifespan by more than a year!? Shocking but true.
If recent research is to be believed, adding salt to your food after it has been cooked can shorten life expectancy by 1.5 years and 2.28 years in men. The study was published in the European Heart Journal and was carried out by a team of researchers led by Professor Lu Qi, of the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, USA.
The researchers analyzed data from more than 5,000 people participating in the UK Biobank study. It was found that compared with people who never or rarely added salt, those who always added salt to their food had a 28% higher risk of premature death.
Professor Qi said, “Adding salt to food at the table is a common eating behavior that is directly related to an individual’s long-term preference for salty foods and salty eating habits. In the Western diet, adding salt to the table accounts for 6-20% of total salt intake and provides a unique way to assess the association between frequent sodium intake and risk of death. die.”
This research is an eye-opening solution for all of us who love slightly salty meals. But should we take this information with a pinch of salt or pay attention to it and watch our salt intake? We have expert recommendations for the optimal amount of salt in our daily diet.
(Also read: Reduce salt intake for a good night’s sleep)
How much salt should you have in a day:
“Average salt intake in a day should be 2400 milligrams. But if someone is deficient, they can have an extra 1.5 milligrams,” says Priya Bharma, chief dietitian at Sri Balaji Institute of Action Health. salt in a day.” The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends no more than 5 grams of salt per day.
Nutritionist Rupali Datta throws more light on it. She said, “A person shouldn’t have more than half a teaspoon of salt in a day. I call it added salt because almost every food has sodium.”
She also advises cutting back on packaged and processed foods because they are high in salt and preservatives that can increase sodium levels in the body. High sodium levels in the body are not good for blood pressure levels.
