Core Tip: Many people still exceed their daily salt intake even when they are very careful about adding salt while cooking. Why is this? Recently, Stephanie Eckelkamp, a nutrition expert for the American magazine "Prevention," wrote an article reminding us to pay attention to three "major hidden salt sources" around us.
Bread.
A single slice of bread can contain as much as 50~250 milligrams of salt. If you often eat Western-style breakfasts or hamburgers, bread is likely to be a major source of salt for you. Therefore, check the label before buying to determine from the source if your salt intake is excessive. Additionally, try to choose whole wheat bread or bake your own bread.
Cold cuts.
Processed meats, including ham, cured meat, and Western-style bacon, smoked meat, and salted meat, contain an unbelievably high amount of salt. Just 90 grams of cold cuts (about 3 slices) can contain 450 milligrams to 1 gram of sodium. Therefore, the best approach is to avoid buying processed meats and make your own at home to better control the salt content.
Pizza.
The crust, sauce, and cheese all contain a significant amount of salt. A single slice of a regular-sized pizza can contain up to 600 milligrams of salt. Therefore, Eckelkham suggests choosing pizzas with more vegetables, limiting yourself to no more than two slices per meal, and avoiding frequent consumption.
Excessive salt is harmful to health
1. Limiting salt can lower blood pressure
Analysis of group survey results shows that the incidence of hypertension in populations with a high-salt diet is far higher than in those with a low-salt diet. In our country, the average annual prevalence rate of hypertension is about 7%, and it shows a clear north-south difference, which is significantly correlated with the distribution of salt intake levels across different regions.
2. Excess salt leads to calcium loss
Excessive salt intake is the main culprit behind osteoporosis. This is because the kidneys excrete excess sodium through urine every day. For every 1000 milligrams of sodium excreted, approximately 26 milligrams of calcium are lost. The more sodium the body needs to expel, the greater the amount of calcium consumed, which will inevitably affect normal bone growth.