Eating without salt? Unthinkable for many. But if you overdo it with the seasoning, you risk your health in the long run. When in doubt, less is more here - and tastes even better in the end.
Hamburg (dpa / tmn) - It is not easy with the salt. The body needs it, but if you overdo it with consumption, you harm yourself. "We cannot live without salt," says nutritionist Matthias Riedl. "But too much is dangerous - and we eat too much." So the important question is: when is the quantity too large?
Salt is essential. "It maintains the pressure of the blood in our vessels and is essential for many metabolic processes," explains Riedl.
The German Nutrition Society (DGE) recommends table salt enriched with iodine and fluoride. "Iodine is a component of the thyroid hormones and therefore essential for a functioning thyroid," explains Astrid Donalies from the DGE. Fluoride can promote mineralization of the bones and teeth.
The problem with finished products
You should not demonize the salt. But there is too much of it in many foods. "Regardless of whether it is in lasagna, in vegan or vegetarian food - pretty much every finished product contains too much salt and sugar. The industry cheaply produces more flavor," criticizes Riedl. And the consumption of these products continues.
The body reacts in a similar way to salt to sugar, says the doctor. "Sensitivity dulls. If you always eat salty food, a low-salt meal will soon appear bland." The result: you need more.
The type of salt makes no difference - too much is never good for you, as Oecotrophologin Donalies makes clear. "Regardless of whether it's expensive gourmet salt like Himalayan salt or normal table salt: sodium chloride is the main ingredient in all of them," she says. "If you eat too much, your blood pressure increases and your risk of developing high blood pressure increases." Too much salt consumption can also promote osteoporosis, i.e. bone loss.
How much salt is fine?
The DGE advises a maximum of six grams of salt per day. "This also includes the quantities supplied by processed foods such as bread, cheese, sausages, meat and fish," says Donalies. Low-salt foods include quark, kefir and yoghurt.
The World Health Organization (WHO) even provides only five grams a day. But not everyone has to add every gram in the calculator. Because these numbers are a guideline and an important point of reference, according to Riedl. However, if you take too much on one day, you can compensate for it on the other days. However, this does not apply to people with high blood pressure: you should strictly observe the daily maximum.
If you cook yourself, you can control the amount of salt well. Nutrition expert Donalies advises: "Salting should only be carried out sparingly after seasoning with herbs and spices." Another tip: Do not pour the salt directly from the package into the food, but rather sprinkle pinches with your fingers. So you can keep an eye on the crowd.
Medic Riedl recommends halving the amount of salt in a recipe right from the start. "If it doesn't taste good, I can add salt. That way I can gradually get off consumption."
Study nutritional tables and lower the dose
When purchasing finished products, you should study the nutritional table on the back of the pack. Here you can find the salinity. "This way you can compare the products and choose the least salty," says DGE expert Donalies.
But what if the soup seems to lack the proverbial salt? Slowly reduce the dose, Donalies advises - also with a view of canteens and restaurants. "If you gradually lower the amount of salt, most people will not notice it," she says.
Taste buds could quickly get used to less salt. In the end, this has a positive effect: "Foods that have been given little or no salt are perceived as being the same or even tastier than heavily salted dishes," says Donalies.
Instead of salt, you can use herbs and fresh herbs to spice up the taste. "They are absolutely healthy and not as expensive anymore," says medical doctor Riedl.
Fear of lack
Fear of a lack of salt is mostly unfounded. Riedl: "All natural foods contain salt." If you eat normally, you take in enough salt. "Only those who vomit a lot or sweat a lot are at risk. But that's extremely rare."
Federal Institute for Risk Assessment on Salt