How Salt Intake Affects Your Health

Gayatri Kashelkar explains how salt intake through various foods affects your health

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Truth about Hidden Salt

Salt is the primary source of sodium. Salt in the diet can come from processed foods and cooking or table salt. People around the world are consuming more energy-dense foods that are high in saturated fats, trans fats, sugars and salt as highly processed foods are increasing in availability and becoming more affordable. As eating patterns shift, people are consuming less fruit vegetables and dietary fibre (such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables). Excess sodium intake can harm health as sodium impacts not only insulin resistance but it can also lead to hypertension and weight gain.

Hidden form of sodium intake

Butter, cheese, soy sauce, bread, breakfast cereals, pasta sauces and tomato ketchups have high sodium content. In fact, 75 per cent of our salt intake comes from these processed foods.

Salt intake and Diabetes

Research suggests that sodium, commonly ingested through salt or sodium chloride, could increase the risk of Type 2 Diabetes and latent autoimmune Diabetes in adults (LADA). LADA is an autoimmune condition in which people are diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in adulthood. Sodium in everyday diet significantly increases the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.