10 signs you’re eating too much salt
We all know that too much salt is bad for us, but with this ingredient hidden in so many foods, how can we keep an eye on our intake? Our nutritionist knows what to look out for…
As our diets have changed over the past 50 years to include more pre-prepared food and takeaways, we are eating more salt than ever. With a pinch here and there, there is no denying that salt makes everything taste better. But, while salt is a kitchen staple for a reason, we might not quite realise the impact it is having on our health.
In the US, sodium is measured as opposed to salt. The average person consumes around 3400 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day, which is about 50% more than the recommended limit of 2300mg per day for adults (the American Heart Association advises a cap of 1500mg). According to the UK government, the average adult consumes around 8 grams of salt per day, which is significantly higher than the recommended limit of 6 grams (approximately one level teaspoon).
Salt is a seasoning, taste enhancer and preservative that can lengthen the shelf life of food products. This makes it a popular addition to many convenience food items. In both the US and UK, the main sources of salt are processed foods (especially fast foods), processed meats and bread.
Salt is linked to a number of health issues such as high blood pressure (hypertension), heart disease and stroke. It has also been linked to stomach cancer, kidney disease and osteoporosis. Hypertension is termed ‘the silent killer’ as it doesn’t always come with clear symptoms. According to Action on Salt, if everyone in the UK ate 1g less salt each day, it would prevent more than 4000 heart attacks and strokes every year. The WHO states: ‘Reducing sodium intake is one of the most cost-effective measures to improve health and reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases.’
10 signs you’re eating too much salt
Eating too much salt can have surprising effects on your body. Here are 10 signs you might be overdoing it:
1. Dry mouth: excess salt in the body can cause dehydration because the body pulls water from cells to balance out the sodium levels, leaving you feeling parched and desperate to glug a glass of water.
2. Socks and rings leave marks: swelling of the hands, ankles and feet is a classic sign of too much salt. The body holds onto water to balance out the excess salt and this water retention causes swelling of the extremities.
3. Frequent headaches: high salt intake may lead to dehydration or increased blood pressure, both of which can cause headaches and even nausea and dizziness.
4. Blurred vision or nose bleeds: within just 30 minutes, eating excess salt will have an effect on your blood vessels. If after eating salty foods, you experience blurred vision, chest pain, palpitations or nose bleeds, it could mean you have a raised blood pressure, and one of the main causes of high blood pressure is too much sodium/salt.
5. Puffy face: too much salt in the diet will cause your body to retain water. Due to this excess fluid in the body’s tissues, it leads to swelling, bloating and puffiness, including the face.
6. Craving salty foods: strangely eating salty foods can cause taste buds to crave more of them.
7. Frequent urination: salt impacts the levels of fluids in the body resulting in extreme thirst. This in turn means more fluids to satisfy the increased thirst followed by an increase in trips to the loo. So if you’re going to the loo a lot during the day, and drinking a load of water because you’re thirsty then salt might be the culprit.
8. Brain fog: high sodium levels may impair cognitive function and make you feel foggy or unfocused.
9. Muscle cramps: due to disruption of electrolytes it can cause painful or unexpected muscle cramps.
10. Food tastes bland: if you find yourself adding salt to everything, even naturally salty foods, it is a sign your palate has adapted to too much sodium. The good news is that by cutting back on added salt it can reset your taste buds and desensitise the salty taste.
Easy ways to avoid salt
While it’s important to avoid too much salt to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and stroke, this doesn’t mean resorting to bland and boring meals. Some simple ideas include:
- Read labels and inform yourself of the choices when it comes to pre-prepared/convenience foods. The traffic light labels/front of packet images can be helpful for an ‘at-a-glance’ indication if the food is high in salt.
- Cook from scratch. Restaurant meals and fast foods are laden with salt, far more than you would typically add if cooking at home.
- Try other seasoning, herbs, spices, lemon juice, garlic and fresh dressings to add flavour without the salt.
- Drink plenty of water to maintain balance.
Further reading:
Foods high in salt and how to avoid them
34 low salt recipes to help you with ideas
Electrolytes: what are they and do I need to replenish them?
How to use store cupboard spices
Whole-food, scratch-cooking meal plan
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