Too much salt in your food can spell disaster for your health. [Photo/encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com]
According to a research in the American Heart Association’s journal of Hypertension, in a study done among Chinese participants, those who enjoyed spicy foods appeared to eat less salt and have lower blood pressure, potentially reducing their risk of heart attack and stroke. The participants argued that when the food was tasty from the added spices, then there was little need for salt.
From previous studies, trace amounts of capsaicin, the chemical that gives chili peppers their pungent smell, enhanced the perception of food being salty, thus reducing the need for salt. Although this particular study was done in China, it has been identified that reducing salt intake is one of the most cost-effective measures a country can take to improve population health outcomes.
Now, although used interchangeably, salt and sodium are not the same. Salt provides our body with the vital mineral sodium that works together with potassium to maintain normal blood pressure and normal function of muscles and nerves.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends sodium consumption <2g/day (5g of salt per day). This applies not only to the salt from the shaker, but also the sodium from processed, prepackaged and restaurant foods.
As a matter of fact, WHO reports that most salt consumed comes from processed foods (e.g. processed foods like bacon, ham, and salty snacks) or foods consumed frequently in large amounts such as bread.
The sodium is regulated because it is associated with fluid retention in the body cells, resulting in the high-risk onset of increased blood pressure leading to hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.
Among us are people who, as though by reflex, must add salt to food before they have even tasted it. We are saying today that tasty food has little to do with salt.
It’s all spicy; all healthy!