What Excess Salt and Sugar do to your Body

Excess salt and sugar are extremely harmful to the body. They damage body in more ways than one.Ideally, 5.8 mg of sodium intake is acceptable. It is suggested by nutritionist that our diets already include sugars in the form carbohydrates (as in muesli, bread, etc) therefore we do not need to consume sugar outside of these sources.

Keep a check your salt and sugar intake for the following reasons.

They both disturb ionic balance of the cells in excess. Sodium, in the form of ion, is essentially required for regular functioning of organs like kidney and heart.

In excess it accumulates in body and disturbs the ionic balance. For example, two sodium ions are exchanged for 3 of potassium ions (in Sodium-Potassium pump) to manufacture ATP. In excess this functioning is affected.

Excess salt in body will only increase its content in urine leading to salty urine. More salt in blood is directly related to increase in blood pressure. It could also suggest development of kidney stones. High salt content in body leads to water retention and weight related problem.

It is extremely common in women suffering from PMS. Sugar produces similar effects in PMS patients.

Sugar is actually more harmful to the body and the most surprising fact is that we generally consume too much of sugar without even realizing it. It is a major component in all packaged foods.

Most of the processed foods will not directly tell you about the high sugar content, hidden below fancy names like malt syrup, concentrated juice or maltose. Weight gain, sugar addiction and diabetes are major health hazards associated with sugar consumption.

The more sugar you eat, more aged your skin will appear. The firmness of the skin is because of collagen and elastic. These are formed of protein fibers. Sugar in blood will combine with available proteins and produce harmful molecules which damage the collagen.

Excess content of sugar in diet increases infection in the body. For example, the yeast multiplies and feeds on the sugars, worsening Candidiasis.

Salt and sugar intake have shown to increase stress and anxiety in daily life.