Salt is such an important part of our diet that food cannot be imagined without it. Almost every dish tastes tasteless without salt. Usually people also consume rock salt and black salt along with table salt. An adult is advised to eat about 6 grams of salt, while this amount is very less in children. Children should eat salt within 1 to 5 grams according to their age.

Salt i.e. sodium is essential for our health, but its excess quantity can harm health in many ways. Eating too much salt increases blood pressure. Especially if someone is a BP patient, he is advised to eat less salt. However, salt is not only harmful for blood pressure but also for your gut health. Let's know how excess salt affects gut health-

Side effects of excess salt

As everyone knows, food passes through the digestive system and passes through the intestines. In this part of the body, nutrients from the food are absorbed and released into the blood so that they can be used. In such a situation, if salt is consumed, the amount of sodium in the blood will increase, because salt is made up of two salts called sodium and chloride. This causes hypertension. If hypertension is not taken care of, it increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

How Does Salt Affect Gut Health?

Apart from this, it can also cause many autoimmune disorders and it also has a very harmful effect on gut health . Some studies also show that when we consume more salt, it changes the activity of beneficial bacteria present in the gut. The bacteria present in our gut have their own microbiome, which is in a very balanced amount. This bacteria gets nutrition from our food. But when we take an unhealthy diet, which does not contain nutrition, then disease-causing bacteria become active.

Eating too much salt blocks the activity of beneficial bacteria present in the gut. This blocks the activity of bacteria that take care of the gut lining, which makes the gut lining thinner, allowing harmful bacteria to easily escape and harm other parts of the body.

Reduce the amount of salt in your diet like this-

• Fill your salt shaker or dispenser with chaat masala, amchur powder or other spicy spices. Stop keeping salt on the dining table.
• Use other spices instead of salt in your daily snacks. Like cinnamon powder, black pepper powder, cardamom powder etc. A different flavour will come with a twist in the taste, which will help in keeping away from salt.
• Gradually reduce the amount of salt in your diet. However, do not eliminate it but reduce the quantity so that the taste buds adapt to this taste and you are unable to eat strong salt.
• Eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Processed or frozen foods are packed with extra salt so stay away from them. Do not eat canned or ready-to-eat foods, soups, snacks at all.