So which is worse? Americans consume about 1 ½ times the amount of sodium they need and seven times the limit of added sugar. So sugar may be the biggest concern because it's the biggest problem. Sugar is also linked to a host of other health concerns beyond high blood pressure and the heart.
A study, published by US researchers in online journal Open Heart suggests that sugar is in fact worse than salt for raising our blood pressure levels and heart disease risk.
Sugar Vs Salt
To conclude, neither of the two ingredients are bad for your health, given they are taken in moderation. But if compared, sugar is more harmful to your health if consumed in excess. Experts recommend consuming both sugar and salt, in moderation to avoid complications.
But when it comes to weight gain, sugar seems to be the true culprit. Studies show that a high-sugar diet can lead to weight gain and obesity, even when calorie intake is controlled.
Depending on your medical and family history, you may choose to restrict your intake of excess sodium or sugar, or both. If you have a family history of heart disease or have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, restricting dietary sodium should be a priority.
By reducing your sugar intake, you can help to stabilize your blood sugar levels and reduce your risk of developing diabetes and other health conditions. By reducing your sodium intake, you can help to reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure and kidney damage.
Cutting down sugar helps in improving insulin resistance, makes you feel active and energetic and further boosts your kidney function and metabolism. "Cutting down sugar will reduce your hunger pangs and also prevent mood swings since they are mostly caused by sugar spikes," the expert added.
Our bodies need one type of sugar, called glucose, to survive. “Glucose is the number one food for the brain, and it's an extremely important source of fuel throughout the body,” says Dr. Kristina Rother, an NIH pediatrician and expert on sweeteners.
When you drink plenty of water, your body can flush the excess sodium in your body. It is important to drink plenty of water if you have too much sodium in your blood because your kidneys will flush out the excess sodium and help to lower your blood pressure over the long term.
Although salt does not affect blood glucose levels, it's important to limit the amount you eat as part of your diabetes management because too much salt can raise your blood pressure.
The AHA suggests a stricter added-sugar limit of no more than 100 calories per day (about 6 teaspoons or 24 grams) for most adult women and no more than 150 calories per day (about 9 teaspoons or 36 grams of sugar) for most men.
Sugar: The #1 Enemy in American Diets
A large body of research showed that sugar is even worse for your heart than saturated (bad) fat. Guidelines now suggest Americans limit added sugar to roughly 10 percent of daily calories, or about 12 teaspoons per day.
Salt in circulation
One teaspoon of sodium chloride "" table salt "" contains 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium. The human body can't live without some sodium. It's needed to transmit nerve impulses, contract and relax muscle fibers (including those in the heart and blood vessels), and maintain a proper fluid balance.
Salty Characters
In one study, ants in environments where salt is less abundant preferred it to sugar when given the choice. As for people, salt is well-known for improving other tastes and masking bitterness. Because they're more sensitive to all tastes, including bad ones, supertasters may also be salt cravers.
Stop eating sugar and you'll lower your risk of heart disease dramatically because too much sugar in your diet heightens your risk of high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes — three primary risk factors for heart disease and cardiovascular decline.
Healthy eating patterns can also include small amounts of added sugars. Keeping added sugar intake low makes it easier to get all the nutrients we need while not overdoing it on calories. However, eliminating or avoiding foods because they contain natural or added sugars does not automatically make a diet healthier.
Eating a lot of refined, added sugars can lead to headaches, low energy levels, and inflammation. Cutting sugar out of your diet will likely decrease inflammation, boost your energy levels, and improve your ability to focus.
A salt-free diet helps to shed weight by water loss in the body." Macrobiotic nutritionist and Health Practitioner Shilpa Arora says, "sodium is an essential mineral required by the body.
A two-month low salt diet was accompanied by reduction of body mass index. However, the observed decrease of body weight was caused by reduction of total body water, not by reduction of body fat mass or visceral fat mass.
Dr. Nigma Talib, a naturopath who works with celebrities, has popularized the term “Sugar Face” to describe the effects that excess sugar has on the skin. Supposedly, she can look at someone's face and determine if they have a sweet tooth by the appearance and the location of their blemishes and wrinkles.
The American Academy of Dermatology emphasizes that a diet high in sugar can accelerate aging; although quitting sugar may not reverse signs of aging that have already manifested, it can slow their progression.