BBC SCIENCE FOCUS MAGAZINE COLLECTION 43DIETGETTY X2, ALAMY
SALT
Most of us know that too much salt is bad
for us. What ’s less well-known is that too
little is also harmful. We need salt for
muscle and ner ve ac tivit y. If we eat
too little, we develop cramps and
neurological symptoms, and can
even die.
But hold on, that doesn’t
mean you can start
munching bumper
packs of crisps. Most
of us consume too
much salt. Excess
salt int ake is linked
to high blood
pressure, increasingthe risk of heart disease or stroke. The NHS
recommends that adult s should consume
6g of salt a day, but our int ake is nearer 8g.
Yet working out how much we eat can be
trick y because salt is hidden in many foods.
A whopping 75 per cent of salt we eat
comes from foods like bread,
baked beans and biscuits,
while salt added during
cooking and at the table
makes up a small
amount of our intake.VERDICT: Cutting salt
intake can help blood
pressure stay healthy.DID YOU KNOW?
by DR MICHAEL MOSLEY
(@DrMichaelMosley)
Dr Moseley is a presenter on BBC Two’s
Trust Me, I’m a Doctor
and DR SALEYHA AHSAN
Dr Ahsan works is a practising A&E doctor
and also presents Trust Me, I’m a Doctor.A
whopping75 per cent of salt
we eat comes fromfoods like bread,
baked beans andbiscuits
Facts that will change
your eating habitsOConsuming two
portions of
SUGAR-
SWEETENED
DRINKS a week
increases the risk
of developing
diabetes.
OSPICY FOOD may
curb salt cravings, as
spice increases activity in brain
regions activated by salt,
probably making people more
sensitive to salt.
OEating FRIED POTATOES twice a
week increases the risk of death.
OAlways eating food in an
8-to-11-hour window in the
day prevents so-called
‘METABOLIC JET LAG’ caused
by eating late at night.
OAVOC ADOS contain carbs,
vitamins, minerals, fats and the
key 22 amino acids needed to
build proteins.