We use it almost every day, and many of us even add it to quite salty dishes. Unfortunately, it is found in most foods, which is why we often consume it in excess. Too much salt in the diet can contribute to kidney problems and high blood pressure. What else can result from long-term excessive consumption of this spice and how to wean yourself from it?
If you think that addictions only apply to stimulants such as cigarettes, alcohol or sweets, you are very wrong. Not only sugar, but also salt can be highly addictive. Research by American and Australian scientists has proven that it is as strong a “stimulant” as cigarettes or drugs! The brain cells of mice whose salt intake was reduced produced proteins that are also produced in nicotine, heroin and cocaine addiction. According to scientists, the need to consume this spice is therefore in our brain.
Why is salt unhealthy?
Of course, certain amounts of salt in the diet are necessary for the proper functioning of the body, because it helps maintain electrolyte balance and is a component of tissue and cellular fluids. Ideally, it should be no more than 5g a day. Unfortunately, Poles are at the forefront of European countries where too much of this spice is consumed. We cannot imagine sandwiches, salads or dinners without quite a lot of it. What does this result in:
- kidney overload,
- obesity,
- blood pressure,
- water retention in the body,
- Increased risk of heart disease and stomach cancer,
- type II diabetes,
- irritability of the nervous system,
- strokes,
- Increased risk of osteoporosis because it leaches out calcium.
How to wean yourself from salt?
Of course, it’s not as simple as sugar addiction. It is best to start with small sacrifices, i.e. checking product labels and giving up those in which salt is in the first place in the composition. Unfortunately, there are a lot of them. In addition, it is worth hiding the salt shaker and stock up on natural, herbal spices that will replace this addictive spice. Try to add garlic, oregano, basil, coriander, etc., or soy sauce to your dishes. Fortunately, weaning off salt does not last long – usually after two weeks we forget about the addiction, often surprised that we ate such salty dishes.