Salt May Be Making You Fat - Not Just Bloated

You’ve all heard that if you want to drop a quick few pounds just stop eating salt and you’ll lose the “water weight”.  But cutting salt from your diet long term can have significant benefits too.

A study published in the journal Hypertension has shown that high salt intake can potentially increase the risk of obesity in both adults and children. To assess energy intake and salt consumption data from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey, which 458 children and 785 adults participated in, was used as a foundation for this study. The results showed a consistent and substantial association between salt intake and BMI, waist circumference and body fat mass – independent of total energy intake and sugar-sweetened drink consumption.

British Heart Foundation senior dietitian Victoria Taylor said, “More research is needed to understand what might be the reason for this link. Although the amount of salt we are eating has reduced in recent years, we are still exceeding recommended maximums.”

This research further emphasizes the importance of reducing salt intake. Instead of reaching for the salt, try cooking with herbs and spices to add flavor to your meals.

 

When shopping for spices make sure they are salt-free.  Penzeys Spice Shop has stores (and you can shop online) where you can sniff spices from around the world to add depth and flavor to your cooking without salt.  Some of my favorite blends are:

Sunny Paris, a mix of shallots, chives, green peppercorn, dill weed, basil, tarragon, chervil and bay leaf

Smoked Paprika is amazing on grilled or sautéed veggies…it gives the dish a similar smoky flavor as bacon would without the fat and calories

Jerk Chicken & Fish Seasoning includes ginger, brown sugar, sweet chili, garlic, paprika, allspice, lemon grass, thyme, nutmeg, black pepper, cumin, red pepper and jalapeno.  Just mix it with a little lemon juice and use as a rub

Following a meal plan that includes low salt and low glycemic eating may help you not only lose weight, but also lower blood pressure.  By following the TLS Weight Loss program for 3 months I was able to lose 26lbs and lower my blood pressure into a normal range.

Source:
http://www.actiononsalt.org.uk/news/Salt%20in%20the%20news/2015/162393.html