Healthy eating: How dangerous too much salt is that?

It is not easy to do with the salt. The body needs it, but if you overdo it with the consumption, that’s his problem.

“Without salt, we cannot live,” says nutritional medicine Matthias Riedl.

“But too much is also dangerous – and we eat too much.” The important question is: when is the amount too large?

Salt is necessary for life. “It keeps the pressure of the blood in our vessels, and is maintained for many metabolic processes is essential,” explains Riedl.

So important is salt for the body is

The German nutrition society (DGE) recommends a with Iodine and fluoride-enriched salt.

“Iodine is a component of thyroid hormones and therefore essential for a functioning thyroid,” explains Astrid Donalies of the DGE. Fluoride can in turn promote the mineralization of bones and teeth.

Should not demonize the salt consequently. However, in many food products to much of it.

“Whether it’s in the lasagna in vegan or vegetarian food – pretty much every finished product contains too much salt and sugar. The industry generates on a cheap sort of more taste”, writes Riedl. And the consumption of these products is unbroken.

The body reacts to a salt similar to sugar, says the physician. “The sensitivity dulls. If you always eat salt, a salt poor to eat as soon as the fade.” The result: You need more.

The type of salt makes no difference to much does a good how nutritional science expert Donalies makes it clear.

“No matter whether it is expensive gourmet salt, such as Himalayan salt or regular table salt: in sodium chloride, the main ingredient,” she says. “When eaten too much, increases the blood pressure and the risk of developing high blood pressure increases.”

Too much salt intake can also predispose to osteoporosis, so bone loss.

How much salt is healthy?

A maximum of six grams of salt per day, advises the DGE.

“The course includes volumes led by processed foods such as bread, cheese, sausage, meat and fish,” says Donalies. As a low-salt cottage cheese, Kefir and yogurt, apply about.

The world health organization (WHO) provides only five grams daily. But not everyone has the same add every gram in the calculator. Because these Figures are a guideline and a important reference point, as Riedl.

You take in a day too much to himself, he could compensate for that on the other days. That is not the case for people with high blood pressure: you should be aware of the maximum daily quantity strictly.

Picture gallery: So much salt is hidden in these foods

If you cook yourself, you can control the amount of salt well. Nutrition expert Donalies says: “The salts should be made only after the Seasoning with herbs and spices, and only very sparingly.”

Another tip: The salt is not directly from the package into the food pour, but rather with the fingers Pinches into loyal. So you keep the quantity is better in the view.

Physicians Riedl is recommended to halve the amount of salt to a recipe right from the start. “Don’t like it I can salt as needed. So I’m coming down piece by piece by the consumer.”

Nutritional value tables to study, and dose to reduce

When buying ready-made products, you should study the nutrition table on the back of the pack. Here you will find the salt content. “So you can compare the products and for the salt, the poorest decide,” says DGE-expert Donalies.

But what if the soup seems to be missing the proverbial salt? Slowly reduce the dose, advises Donalies – also with a view to canteens and Restaurants.

“Lower the amount of salt gradually, is not perceived by most people,” she says.

Taste buds might quickly get used to less salt. And that was at the end of a positive effect: “food, where little or no salt, and are perceived as the same or even tastier than heavily salted,” says Donalies.

Instead of salt you can resort to herbs and fresh herbs to flavor to spice things up. “You are fully healthy and not so expensive,” says medical Riedl.

Fear of lack of Salt are unfounded

Fear of lack of Salt is, however, mostly unfounded. Riedl: “In all natural foods contain salt.”

You eat normal, you take in enough salt. “Only the one who vomits a lot or strong sweat, is compromised. But this is extremely rare.”

Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa)

*The post “Healthy eating: How dangerous too much salt is that?” is published by FitForFun. Contact with the executives here.