Whenever it comes to dietary disturbances, mainly two things are noticed first – excess sugar and salt. There is a risk of increasing weight, and blood sugar by eating more sugar or sweet things, similarly consuming a diet high in salt can also have harmful side effects for the body. Along with increasing blood pressure, it can cause heart disease and many other serious diseases. That's why all people are advised to consume both salt and sugar in minimum quantity.
In some studies, researchers have warned that if you consume high amounts of salt, then, you have an increased risk of premature arthritis.
Let us understand in further detail how salt is harmful to the bones and what other types of problems can be at risk due to its excessive consumption.
Calcium can be reduced due to excess salt
Health experts say, the more salt you eat, the higher the risk of calcium loss from the body. High sodium foods increase calcium excretion and due to lack of calcium in the body, bone density starts decreasing, due to which you may be at risk of arthritis or other bone-related disorders.
High sodium intake is also considered a major risk factor for osteoporosis.
The risk of heart disease may increase
Eating too much sodium is also not good for your heart health. People who consume high sodium but low potassium in their diet may be at a higher risk of developing heart attacks or many other heart-related diseases.
One study found that people who consumed a high-sodium diet had a 20% higher risk of premature death than others. Since sodium increases blood pressure, it can be a more serious condition for heart disease.
Colon cancer risk
Studies have also linked the consumption of a high-sodium diet with an increased risk of colon cancer. A review of studies of more than 268,000 participants suggests that those consuming 3 grams or more of salt per day may have a 68% higher risk of colon cancer than those consuming less than one gram of salt.
Experts believe that a diet high in salt can cause ulcers or inflammation in the lining of the stomach, which increases the risk of this disease.
How much salt is safe?
The researchers found that a daily salt intake of 1500–2000 mg may be safe for healthy adults. Keep in mind, it is not just the amount of salt in the food. You consume chips, snacks, or other things, they also contain salt. That is, in the whole day, you should not eat more than one teaspoon of salt in total. If there is a problem with blood pressure or heart, then reduce its quantity even more.
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