With an increase in the incidence of chronic disease all over the world, health care professionals are becoming increasingly concerned over the increased consumption of salt and sodium in our diets. Research studies conducted around the world have shown that a number of health conditions are caused by or exacerbated by a high sodium diet.
Sodium is an essential mineral that is needed by the body in small amounts for its normal functioning. It helps maintain the fluid balance in the body, transmit nerve impulses and aids in muscle contraction and relaxation.
The kidneys precisely regulate the levels of sodium stored in the body by excreting the excess sodium in the urine. When sodium starts to build up in the blood causing the body to hold on to water, to dilute the extra sodium resulting in an increase in both. This increases amount of fluid surrounding the cells and the volume of blood in the bloodstream.
Increased blood volume makes the heart pump harder increasing the pressure in the blood vessels leading to high blood pressure or hypertension which in turn increases the risk of developing heart disease and stroke.
Some bodies retain sodium more easily leading to fluid retention and increased blood pressure. The blood pressure of such people rises and falls directly with their sodium intake increasing their risk for cardiovascular disease. Those most prone to salt sensitivity include the elderly, African Americans and people with hypertension. Diseases such as congestive heart failure, cirrhosis and chronic kidney diseasealso make it difficult for the kidneys to maintain the sodium balance in the body.
We obtain sodium in our diets from three sources:
→The sodium that is naturally present in food
→Salt that is added during cooking or at the table and during manufacture of processed foods. Chemically salt is a mixture of two mineral elements, sodium and chloride with formula NaCl.
→Sodium containing food additives such as sodium bicarbonate (baking powder), sodium benzoate, sodium citrate, sodium nitrate or nitrite (salt petre),monosodium glutamate or ajinomoto, sodium pyrophosphate, sodium erythrobate, disodium phosphate, sodium saccharine and sodium alginate that are added during the manufacture of processed and preserved foods.
Studies have shown that diets high in salt, sodium and salty foods is linked to an increase in stomach cancer, increase the loss of calcium from the body in the urine and if the blood calcium levels are low it can be leached out of the bones resulting in the development of osteoporosis.
Other studies have shown reducing salt intake could slow the loss of calcium from the bone that occurs with aging. Though more studies are needed in these areas, sodium is thought to exacerbatethe symptoms of diabetes, asthma, Meneire’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Eating balanced amount of sodium early in life can help reduce the development of high blood pressure that occurs with age reducing the risk of developing heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, osteoporosis, stomach cancer, bloating and weight gain. The current recommendation is to consume less than 2.3 grams (2,300 milligrams) of sodium which is equivalent to 6 grams (about 1 teaspoon) of salt a day. Research has shown that people with high blood pressure, benefit from consuming diets of 1,500 mg of sodium. Low sodium diets help keep blood pressure from rising and help antihypertensive medicines work better.
to be continued . . .
(The writer is a consultant nutritionist with 26 years of experience)
