S alts are needed by the body to maintain some vital functions, such as the transmission of nerve impulses between cells for example. This depends on the electrolyte balance, which is responsible for the transfer of important information at the cellular and tissue level. If there are not enough electrolytes in the body, a number of important functions are disturbed, including muscle, nerve, and pH balance.
One of the most important minerals containing free ions are sodium, calcium, potassium, magnesium. Deficiency of these substances can lead to muscle weakness, involuntary contraction, cramps, impaired functioning of some organs.
So s alts are really important for the body. But it's just as important not to overdo it.
Excessively high levels of s alts in the body cause retention of excess fluids and disrupt the function of vital organs. The cardiovascular system becomes difficult, blood pressure rises, conditions are created for unlocking diabetes.
Sometimes we don't realize how much s alt we take in with food, even if we don't reach for the s alt shaker often.
Some food products contain unexpectedly high levels of added s alt. Therefore, it is important to avoid them. What are these foods?
Curd
Curd is lower in calories than cheese, which is why it is often preferred for an afternoon snack in combination with fruit, for example. Cottage cheese also contains useful proteins and calcium, which give us reason to consume it. But it contains quite high levels of sodium, which improves the taste of cottage cheese, and the manufacturers know it.
Oatmeal
One of the most popular foods turned to by so many people struggling with weight, cholesterol, blood sugar. They are very he althy, but they also contain quite high levels of sodium. S alt is used as a natural preservative that extends the shelf life of foods, and oatmeal falls on that list.
Sports drinks
Usually after an intense workout in the gym, a person loses a lot of fluids and electrolytes in his body through sweating and rapid breathing. For this reason, the bars at the gyms offer drinks enriched with proteins and s alts. Care should be taken with these as they are only useful when you are sure of the exact amount you need. Otherwise, they appear as an excess for the body.
Vegetarian Burgers
Vegetarian food is considered he althy by its followers. It can only be so if it is prepared in a he althy way. If you're eating breaded vegetables stuffed into loaves of bread and adding large chunks of uns alted cheese or dairy, things can get out of hand.
Biscuits
It may come as a surprise to some that there is also s alt in cakes and dessert pastries. Pre-packaged biscuits, waffles, cookies and all the like contain quite large amounts of s alt, playing the role of flavor enhancer, stabilizer and preservative.
Canned foods
One of the biggest enemies of your blood pressure due to the presence of excessive amounts of s alt are canned vegetables, meat, fish. It would be best to prepare your own preserves. This way you will control the amount of s alt in them. Of course, if you don't have that option, read the labels carefully and choose those cans with lower s alt content.
Cheese
Cheese is one of the leaders in terms of s alt content. It is not necessary to stop its consumption, because it also brings its benefits to the body. It's important to just watch the amount you take.
Delicate Sausages
It is difficult to determine who holds the championship in terms of excess s alt content - the sausages or the cheese. They should certainly not be overdone. Even their consumption should be kept to a minimum, as they have other side effects – increase in bad cholesterol, insulin, blood sugar, uric acid.
