Too much salt weakens the immune system
The average person consumes approximately four times the recommended daily salt allowance (RDA) per day. Let us look at the impact this has on the immune system.
Salt – What is it, why do we need it, and how much do we need?
Let’s look at the difference between salt and sodium before we start. Salt comprises of sodium and chloride; and while organic sodium (which you can find in fruit and vegetables and other unprocessed foods in their natural state) is necessary and healthy, it is not as healthy as sodium chloride.
Salt plays a significant role in normal body function by keeping our muscles and nerves running smoothly. But, as always, too much of good can lead to problems. The RDA (recommended daily allowance) for salt in the United Kingdom is only 6 g per day. It is equivalent to less than/a teaspoon of salt. So, it’s easy to see how much salt most of us have in our diets.
Excess salt and immune function
Problems such as heart disease and hypertension have been linked to excess salt for a long time. The kidneys filter excess salt and then send it to the bladder to be excreted. New studies show that when the excess reaches the kidneys, the sensor switches off to alert the kidneys to get rid of it. This sensor also causes the body to build up a type of hormone. These hormones, called glucocorticoids, are accumulated in the body. Some of our immune cells could stop working properly when this happens.
Our immune cells must be kept in mind when the pathogen (viruses or bacteria) enters if the immune cells are not prepared to fight when under attack, the pathogen will run amuck, multiplying and wreaking havoc and chaos.
Salt in the diet
You could be consuming a lot more salt than you realize. Many of the foods we consume
regularly contain large amounts of salt. For example, some cereals, ready-made soups, bacon and sausages have the same salt content as seawater. One cup of soup may contain as much salt as two cups of seawater. Remember that the recommended daily allowance is approximately one teaspoon, so you could easily get over your RDA at lunchtime.
Tips for managing your salt intake
Cook homemade, whole food most of the time. If you can minimize the number of ready-made foods that you include in your diet, your salt intake will be significantly reduced. There’s so much salt hidden in these foods; and because you didn’t make it yourself, you don’t know how much salt you’re ingesting. Cut out or reduce the number of ready-made dinners and soups, canned food and processed meat.
Swap takeaway for homemade alternatives. Cook food in batches and freeze them so that when the weekend comes around, and you don’t feel like cooking, all you will have to do is defrost the pre-prepared meal. It is as simple as ordering a takeaway, and it costs a lot less!
If you eat lunch at a café or restaurant every day, try to keep it as a treat, once or twice a week. Food from restaurants and cafes usually contain a lot of salt, and you don’t know how much. Instead, make an extra effort to prepare your packed lunches.
Get the food labels to know. Before buying items, scan the list of ingredients. If you notice that sodium or salt is near the top, it is a good idea to replace this item with a low salt option. This information will also be provided in the nutritional content box. Anything over 1.5 grams is considered to be high in salt, so think twice before buying.
