Excess Salt And Sugar: Which Is Worse?

Doctors have correlated excess salt and sugar with a wide variety of chronic diseases many years ago. In fact, nowadays, experts recommend limiting the intake of salt and sugar to improve health. But some people still wonder which is worse, excessive salt or sugar intake.

Therefore

Excess salt and sugar: which is worse?

The salt

Salt has long been associated with atherosclerosis and high blood pressure. The truth is that the latest research in the field, such as the study published by the American Journal of Medicine, calls this relationship into question.

Salt is a necessary element for health and for the transmission of nerve impulses. Unlike sugar, people need to consume a small amount of salt so that the body can perform its vital functions properly.

Moreover, the body is not prepared to synthesize endogenous salt. You need to include salt in your diet. Insufficient salt intake can be associated with various complications, some of which are related to the thyroid gland and diseases that may occur in it.

Problems that were previously linked to salt intake are now associated with an unhealthy lifestyle. Obesity, a sedentary lifestyle and diets high in high-calorie foods are risk factors for atherosclerosis. In addition, these unhealthy elements can change blood pressure values.

The sugar

Sugar is one of the favorite ingredients of the food industry. Due to its flavor and texture, most processed products contain sugar. Although the World Health Organization has not set a minimum amount of sugar to be consumed daily, a maximum recommended amount has been set.

Sugar is made up mostly of glucose, which is a substance needed for metabolism and energy production. However, glucose is a nutrient that the body can synthesize itself from protein and fatty acids, depending on needs. Therefore, it is not necessary to consume sugar.

Even if we believe that the requirements vary depending on sports activities, the sugar intake of the current population is well above the recommended amount.

Increased sugar intake is associated with an increased risk of overweight and obesity. Also, excess sugar is a clear risk factor for many complex diseases such as diabetes and certain cancers, as stated in a study published in the journal PLoS One.

Which do you think is worse: excess salt or sugar?

Definitely the sugar one. Sugar is not an essential nutrient, and its intake is associated with several diseases. Sugar is a necessary nutrient only for certain athletes, who also need a higher intake of salt.

Reducing your sugar intake or even eliminating it completely from your diet has many health benefits. First of all, if we did not consume sugar, diabetes would no longer be an endemic disease.

Removing sugar from the diet would lower the rate of obesity and, as a result, many diseases (such as heart disease) would disappear. Moreover, this would reduce the incidence of certain cancers related to the digestive system.

How to reduce sugar consumption

One of the main problems you may encounter when trying to reduce your sugar intake is withdrawal. Your body loves the sweet taste of sugar and no other natural sweetener looks so good. It is best to start by trying to replace processed products with a lot of sugar with their sugar-free versions.

Then start cooking at home, without using sugar as a sweetener. This is a great choice. Using fruit is a great way to make your dishes taste delicious. Although they contain fructose (a type of sugar), it is gradually absorbed into the body and the amount of sugar in the fruit is much lower than in processed products.

At first, it will be very difficult for you due to the fact that you are addicted to processed foods. But eventually, the “need” to consume industrial products will disappear and you will be much healthier.

As for excess salt and sugar, the truth is that no food should be consumed in excess. The best thing you can do for health is to eat any food in moderation. Therefore, a balanced diet allows a responsible intake of sugar and salt. These diets are the best choices to combine health with pleasure when it comes to food.