“Salt: The Silent Killer or Just Another Way to Spice Up Life?”
Do you even know how many milligrams of sodium you eat per day? Probably not, considering most people can’t even count how many potato chips they’ve shoved into their mouths. One serving of those salty little devils contains about 140 milligrams of sodium, but who stops at just one serving of 11 chips? Certainly not Carol Yepes, who probably polishes off a whole bag in one sitting.
Lowsodium soy sauce, soup, and snacks may dominate supermarket shelves, but let’s be real – nobody’s reaching for those bland options when there’s a bag of Doritos calling their name. And don’t even get me started on kale chips. Who thought it was a good idea to ruin a perfectly good potato chip with a leafy green vegetable?
Health experts are constantly harping on about the negative effects of consuming too much salt. Apparently, the recommended daily intake for adults is no more than 2300 milligrams, which is roughly equivalent to one teaspoon. But let’s face it, most of us are probably exceeding that limit before we even finish our morning coffee.
Excessive salt intake has been linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, kidney problems, osteoporosis, and even stomach cancer. So basically, if you’re a fan of salty snacks, you might as well start planning your funeral now. The American Heart Association recommends aiming for an even lower daily intake of 1500 milligrams to reduce the risk of these health problems. Good luck with that, considering most of us can’t even resist the siren call of a bag of pretzels.
If you’re serious about reducing your salt intake, you need to start paying attention to what you’re shoveling into your mouth. Processed foods, canned soups, sauces, and fast food are all salt bombs waiting to explode your blood pressure through the roof. Reading nutrition labels might be a pain in the butt, but it’s better than keeling over from a heart attack at 40.
And let’s not forget about the joy of flavoring your food with herbs and spices instead of salt. Because nothing says delicious like a bland, flavorless meal that makes you question why you even bother eating in the first place. But hey, at least you’ll live longer, right?
So, Carol Yepes, if you’re out there munching away on your umpteenth bag of potato chips, just remember – every bite is bringing you one step closer to an early grave. But hey, at least you’ll have a salty snack waiting for you in the afterlife.
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Source: HuffPost
URL: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-much-salt-to-eat_l_65aea1d5e4b0be962c82e657