A study of 181 countries found: If you eat salty, you may live longer. How much salt is better to eat per day?

Usually, we are advised not to eat too salty, and the diet should be light, otherwise it is easy to develop cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, and even shorten our lifespan.

However, studies have found that people who eat salty food may live longer. Let's take a look at what this study has to say.

1. The saltier you eat, the longer you live?

A study published in the top international journal "European Heart Journal" analyzed data on salt intake, life expectancy and death in 181 countries around the world to verify the relationship between salt intake and life expectancy and all-cause mortality. Relationship.

The study found that salt intake was positively associated with life expectancy at birth and at age 60, and was inversely associated with all-cause mortality. For every 2.5 g increase in average daily salt intake (about 1 g sodium), life expectancy at birth increased by 2.6 years, life expectancy at age 60 increased by 0.3 years , and all-cause deaths were reduced by 131 per 100,000 people.

But in the past, high-salt diets have been identified as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and premature death.

Second, can you let go of the salt? How much is best to eat?

However, the research team also stated that although this study breaks through the traditional concept, it belongs to the conclusion of an observational study and cannot be used as evidence for nutritional guidelines.

Long-term high-salt diet is still very harmful to health, and it will increase the risk of various diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, osteoporosis and gastric cancer. Therefore, it is necessary to control salt in your daily diet.

According to the recommendations of the dietary guidelines for Chinese residents, the intake of salt per person per day should not exceed 5 grams . 6 grams of table salt is roughly equivalent to filling a beer bottle.

However, the data of Chinese residents' nutrition and health monitoring data show that the average daily salt intake of Chinese residents is as high as 10.5 grams, of which 65% of adults consume more than 6 grams of salt.

3. The "salt value" of 4 types of food is not small, and it is necessary to learn to control it

In addition to the salt that is usually used for cooking, there are some foods that we often eat that contain salt that should not be underestimated. If you eat too much, your salt intake may exceed the standard, so you must pay special attention.

1. Noodle products

Many people usually like to eat noodles, bread and other pasta products, but in fact they are hidden high-salt foods! There are about 3 grams of salt per 100 grams of noodles , and most sliced ​​breads on the market contain more than 0.5 grams/100 grams of salt, and some even as high as 1.5 grams/100 grams. In conversion, eating 1 bowl of vermicelli (about 50 grams) or 4 slices of bread (about 100 grams) every day already accounts for about a quarter of the recommended daily intake of salt.

The reason why pasta products are high in salt is that salt can stabilize the food structure. When making pasta products, salt is added to strengthen the gluten, making it elastic and not easy to collapse.

It is recommended that you drink as little or no soup as possible when eating noodles; try to choose whole-wheat bread with higher potassium content when eating bread, and eat less bread with sausage, cream, and meat floss; try not to eat bread Spread salad dressing or jam, etc., can be served with fresh vegetables such as cucumber slices and tomato slices.

2. Processed meat products

Processed meat products such as sausages and bacon are made with a lot of salt to add flavor, and some of the additives used to retain moisture in some processed meat products also contain sodium. Take ham sausage as an example, a 105-gram sausage sausage contains about 2.8 grams of salt.

It is recommended to eat more fresh meat and less processed meat products, especially children, the elderly and those with high blood pressure. If you really want to eat it, it is recommended to eat it with fresh fruits and vegetables.

3. Candied fruit

Many people usually like to eat preserved fruits such as plums and raisins, but did you know that eating a pack of 35 grams of plum is equivalent to eating 16 grams of salt.

The reason why you don't feel salty when you eat these candied fruit is actually because they add a lot of sugar in addition to salt during processing, which will neutralize the salty taste.

It is recommended to eat at most one or two tablets at a time to relieve cravings. When purchasing candied fruit, you can choose natural air-drying, because the more processing procedures, the less healthy it is.

4. Seasoning

In addition to controlling the amount of salt when cooking, the salt content of seasonings such as soy sauce, oil consumption, chicken essence and bean paste cannot be ignored . The salt content of a spoonful of soy sauce (15 ml) is about 3 grams, the salt content of a spoonful of bean paste (15 grams) is about 2.3 grams, and the salt content of a spoonful of chicken essence (5 grams) is about 2 grams. These seasonings contain about 7 grams of salt even without adding salt to a dish.

It is recommended to use only one salty seasoning when cooking, and reduce the amount of salt as appropriate. You can also add some vinegar to taste to reduce the amount of salt.

Eating too much salt can affect your health, and you should pay attention to controlling your salt intake in your daily life. In addition to using less salt in cooking, you should also eat less processed products and snacks, and reduce the use of sauces, so as to reduce the intake of salt.

References:

[1]Messerli F， Hofstetter L， Syrogiannouli L， Rexhaj E， Siontis G， Seiler C et al. Sodium intake， life expectancy， and all-cause mortality. European Heart Journal. 2020;42(21)：2103-2112.

[2] 65% of people eat too much salt! A nutritionist teaches you to control salt scientifically. Jingyitong, 2020-08-05

[3] [Health] 8 types of foods have high "salt value", and eating one day is enough for half a month's salt intake. People's Daily, 2018-04-01

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