Many, in pursuit of a healthy lifestyle, think about how to give up salt. After all, we have been told since childhood that salt is poison. Is it so?
The norm of salt intake is 3-5 grams per day, that is, one teaspoon without a slide. This is the recommendation given by WHO in the Sodium Intake for Adults and Children guidelines. Most people consume this flavoring seasoning in excess of the norm (sometimes 2 or more times), which leads to high blood pressure, diseases of internal organs and even cancer. Avoiding salt will improve your well-being, help get rid of swelling and excess weight. However, you need to quit the habit of adding salt to food correctly. In this article, you will learn what giving up salt gives and how to properly quit the habit of adding NaCl to food.
What will give up salt?
Scientists from Tufts University (USA, Massachusetts) conducted the largest study on the effects of salt on the body in 2017. The researchers concluded that limiting salt intake is not a dietary fad, but a necessity. Scientists have calculated that excess salt causes every tenth death.
In turn, a reduction in salt intake, or rather a refusal to add salt to dishes, has a beneficial effect on the work of many systems and organs. Let's take a look at the most likely benefits of salt-free diets. Read more about the research in the source.
There are several good reasons for avoiding salt and they will affect the following aspects of your life:
- improving the appearance;
- improvement of well-being;
- stabilization of the psycho-emotional state.
- positive restructuring of taste sensations.
Appearance
Sodium chloride retains water in our body, which leads to facial swelling. And those who suffer from hypertension or have problems with the kidneys and excretory system also develop swelling of the extremities. When you stop using NaCl, you will get rid of swelling and love your reflection in the mirror.
The second moment for improving your appearance is losing weight. In 2 weeks of complete rejection of salt and proper nutrition, you will lose 3-4 kilograms of excess weight.
Well-being and immunity
A salt-free diet stabilizes blood pressure, improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system, relieves headaches due to chronic fatigue, and helps the body to tolerate stress more easily. As a result, general health improves, the body's resistance to infectious and viral diseases increases.
Psycho-emotional background
Every time you show willpower and get a tangible result of this action, your self-esteem, self-confidence, and mood improve. By following a salt-free diet, you will not only improve your health, but also lift your spirits and stabilize your overall emotional background.
New taste of food
Without sodium chloride, food will taste new. You will feel the true taste of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, try new combinations of products. Your taste buds will simply “reboot” and taste the food more sharply.
The benefits of avoiding salt for weight loss
If you are training to lose weight and adjust your figure, then by stopping eating salty foods, you are more likely to achieve the desired result. NaCl retains water-salt solution in adipose tissue
The elimination of salt is especially beneficial for athletes involved in sports such as figure skating, gymnastics, martial arts, where every 100-200 grams of weight can affect their own performance or weight category.
Avoiding excessive salt intake is beneficial for anyone exercising at home or in the gym. Less salt means less excess body fat.
Will it be harmful if you don't use salt at all?
Is there any harm in avoiding salt? The valuable element that we get from table or table salt is sodium. In addition to salt, it is found in many foods that we eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Therefore, if you stop adding white crystals from a salt shaker to your food, you will not lose anything.
Table of foods with the most sodium:
| The product's name | Sodium content (mg / 100 grams of product) |
| White bread, butter loaf | 240-250 mg |
| Rye bread | 430 mg |
| Cornflakes | 660 mg |
| Sauerkraut | 800 mg |
| Canned beans | 400 mg |
| Mushrooms | 300 mg |
| Beet | 260 mg |
| Celery | 125 mg |
| Raisins | 100 mg |
| Bananas | 80 mg |
| Dates | 20 mg |
| Currant | 15 mg |
| Apples | 8 mg |
| Milk | 120 mg |
| Cottage cheese | 30 mg |
| Eggs | 100 mg |
| Hard cheese | 1200 mg |
| Beef, pork | 100 mg |
| A fish | 100 mg |
You can download the table here to always be aware of the salt content of other foods.
When adding salt to food, remember that sodium is already in it. An excess of this chemical element is as bad as its deficiency.
How to phase out salt gradually?
Adding salt to food is a habit that has been compared to smoking, but quitting is easier than quitting. Is it possible to completely abandon salt? Of course yes! The main thing is to gradually get used to the new taste of food, accustoming your body to do without this ubiquitous product. A few simple guidelines will help you train yourself to eat less salty foods and not add NaCl when preparing food.
Read the composition
When buying groceries at the supermarket, carefully read the ingredients on the packages. Choose seasonings and spices without salt and other foods that have minimal sodium chloride. It is desirable that the description contains less than 0.3 g per 100 grams of product. If a larger quantity is indicated, cancel the purchase. To determine the amount of salt in a product, multiply the amount of sodium in its composition by 2.5.
Add pepper and other spices to dishes
Red and black peppers, dried spices and herbs, chili peppers not only add an appetizing aroma to the dish, but also make the food taste brighter. They will make it easier for you to quit the habit of using salt from a salt shaker for preparing salads or other dishes. Do not overdo it by adding spices to avoid causing gastrointestinal problems.
Eat fresh herbs
Parsley, dill, celery, lettuce, coriander, basil, green onions give the food a special flavor. You definitely won't want to interrupt them with salt. Combine greens with other vegetables correctly. Dill enhances the taste and aroma of boiled potatoes, basil "suits" tomatoes, and lamb and beef dishes are excellently combined with rosemary and coriander.
Avoid ketchups, mayonnaise and sauces
Mayonnaise, ketchup, soy sauce and mustard contain a lot of salt. By adding them to the main dish, you increase the salt content. If you want to eat healthy foods, stop eating them.
Buy dry mustard powder instead of store-bought mustard. Mix a small amount of powder with water and sugar. You will get the same pungent taste as ready-made mustard from the supermarket, only without salt.
Replace sauces with low-fat sour cream or a mixture of garlic, herbs, lemon juice, and cilantro or arugula. This mixture will give the dish a light spicy taste and special aroma. It goes well with fish and meat dishes, rice, sushi.
Eat homemade food
You've probably noticed that after fast food, pies or dumplings from the supermarket, you are thirsty. A lot of salt is added to them so that they are stored longer. Exclude these "treats" from the diet first.
Try to cook more yourself using fresh ingredients you buy. Take a light, healthy snack with you to work that replaces pizza, rolls, and other useless foods that contribute to obesity and gastrointestinal problems.
The consequences of avoiding salt
Should I give up salt? Analyzing the positive and negative effects of a salt-free diet will help you make your decision.
Positive effects of avoiding salt:
- Stabilization of blood pressure, prevention of thrombosis, stroke.
- Getting rid of puffiness on the face, in the limbs.
- Normalization of the excretory system, reducing the likelihood of kidney stones, reducing the burden on the kidneys.
- Reducing the risk of diseases of the musculoskeletal system (arthritis, arthrosis).
- Weight loss by an average of 1.5 kilograms per week.
- Improving vision due to the normalization of pressure in the circulatory system and proper drainage of fluid from the tissues surrounding the optic nerve.
- Increased sensitivity of taste buds.
Negative consequences:
Salt-free diet refers to rigid nutrition programs. The first week will be hard for you to get used to. The food will appear tasteless and bland. Appetite will decrease, there will be a slight emotional decline. However, this condition gradually passes and the state of health improves.
Note! The condition may worsen in the first days. Experts recommend reducing the amount gradually until it stops.
Conclusion
If you are not ready to radically change your eating habits, arrange "salt-free days" - do not eat salty food 1 day a week. Ideally, there should be at least 5 such days per month. You will not lose weight or get rid of edema from such a regime, but this is an excellent prevention of hypertension and kidney disease, as well as a way to gradually abandon salty foods. Should you give up salt completely? The decision is definitely yours. The advantages of this solution are much greater than the negative sides.
