How Salt Made Us Fat and Round

Salt Made Us Fat and Round

I was reading a newspaper over breakfast this morning and decided not to reach out for the salt shaker for my sunny-side-up egg. Salt made us fat and round.

According to Dr Myron Weinberger, a professor of medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine, “Most people think that sodium comes from the salt shaker. The salt shaker contributes less than 10 to 15 percent”.

So where did we build up all that high sodium in our system? How did some of our eating habits contribute to weight problems?

We are fighting for time so meal-on-the-go is fast getting to be the way of life for many working folks. In general, processed food and that heat-up-and-ready-to-eat food contained high sodium to promote a longer shelf life and excite your taste buds.

When we load up on too many salty meals and snacks, the sodium in such processed food made us thirsty. Instead of reaching out for a glass of water, we further load ourselves with empty calories by consuming sodas, colas, coffees, teas etc. These drinks and beverages are heavy with sugar. So one fastest way to cut back calories is to cut back on salt.

Why the manufacturer

Reducing salt in manufactured food can be done but it is an initiative that must be taken by the food industry. Unless there is serious health complication, no government authorities will intervene and insist on low salt. According to a study based on the 1997 diet data from Great Britain’s National Diet and Nutrition Survey, researchers suggested that cutting in half the amount of salt British children consume – a decrease of about half a teaspoon a day – would lead to an average reduction of about 510g of sugar-sweetened soft drinks per week.

Salt leads to thirst, thirst leads to soft drinks and soft drinks lead to fat abs, poor health and a big hole in our pockets. Don’t believe it? Just ask those folks above 40 years old if they have started to spend more on medical, gym, slimming and insurance either for themselves or their parents.

[tags]salt, sodium, obesity[/tags]