Gastroenterologist told about the dangerous consequences of excess salt in the diet

Excess salt in the diet leads to serious diseases, said an expert of the Hemotest laboratory, gastroenterologist Ekaterina Kashukh. She told Izvestia on November 23 why it is worth reducing the amount of salt in food.

As the expert explained, table salt is the main source of sodium, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the body. It helps transmit impulses between nerve cells and muscles, maintains acid-base balance, provides the necessary amount of blood plasma. Sodium deficiency in healthy people is extremely rare, but its excess is quite common, added the gastroenterologist.

"Sodium is present in many products. It is in milk, meat, bakery products, seafood, soy sauce, seasonings. A large amount of salt contains sausages, snacks, canned foods. Therefore, the use of additional salt in cooking and eating should be very moderate. According to the WHO (World Health Organization. - Ed.), the daily norm of table salt for an adult is 5 g - one teaspoon. For comparison, the average Russian resident consumes 12 g of salt daily," Kashukh said.

According to her, excess salt in the diet often leads to high blood pressure (hypertension), which can cause heart attacks and strokes. As the doctor explained, additional fluid is needed to eliminate excess sodium from the body. Water begins to accumulate in the tissues of the body and blood volume increases. As a result, the pressure on the walls of blood vessels increases, and the cardiovascular system begins to work on wear and tear.

At the same time, 1 g of sodium retains just under one cup of water. The extra fluid not only enters the bloodstream, but also accumulates in the cells and intercellular space. The result is edema, which is bad for all internal organs.

"Salt is the best friend of overweight and related problems. Salty spicy food is often very caloric and contributes to the gain of extra pounds," - said the gastroenterologist.

Excess salt increases the load on the kidneys, which have to filter and remove a large amount of fluid, this increases the risk of developing diseases of the organ, the expert warned.

In addition, along with sodium, calcium, necessary for healthy bones and teeth, is intensively removed from the body. However, replenishing the balance of this element is not so easy. Calcium deficiency leads to the formation of kidney stones and increases the risk of osteoporosis, the doctor added.

"To reduce salt intake, it is worth reviewing your diet and reduce the amount of fast food, canned food, ultra-processed foods, such as sausages. When cooking, it is useful to use spices, which add flavor to food even with minimal use of salt. It is worth controlling the amount of salt that is added to cooked food. This will help to gradually change your eating habits and make them healthier", - emphasized Kashukh.

Earlier, on November 19, the doctor-gastroenterologist "SM-Clinica" Valeria Lomova said that the most negative impact on the liver has alcohol, which destroys its cells - hepatocytes. Therefore, regular consumption of alcohol threatens such dangerous complications as fibrosis and cirrhosis of the liver. According to her, you should be careful with products that are rich in animal fats, because their abundance can also adversely affect the health of the organ. These include butter, lard, margarine, sausages, sausages, fatty meat - lamb, pork, duck, goose, pies, cakes, flour products and fast food.