Salt is a basic necessity while cooking. It adds flavour and taste to a savoury dish. But if used in excess amounts, salt might ruin the dish altogether. That's not all. Excess salt intake is bad for your health too. For the unversed, the recommended salt intake for adults is less than six grams a day but most people regularly eat about nine grams. Several studies from across the world have established that excess salt intake leads to high blood pressure, increased heart risks and more. But did you know it might be the reason for your stress too?! You heard us.
A recent study, published in the journal Cardiovascular Research, found, "a high-salt diet increased the levels of a stress hormone by 75 percent." This research was conducted by experts at the University of Edinburgh.
Also Read: What Happens When you Have Too Much Salt in Your Diet?
For the study, they fed a set of mice (who generally consume low or no-salt food) with high-salt food. It was found that "not only did resting stress hormone levels increase, but the mice's hormone response to environmental stress was double that of mice that had a normal diet," read a report on the University of Edinburgh website.
It was also found that the excess salt intake increased the activity of genes that produce the proteins in the brain "which control how the body responds to stress".
"Experts say further studies are already underway to understand if a high-salt intake leads to other behavioural changes such as anxiety and aggression," experts conclude.
Considering the above findings, we suggest keeping a balanced salt intake to enjoy overall health and well-being.
Eat healthy, stay fit!