Salt or sugar scrub? Salt or sugar on watermelon? Salt or sugar on food. Which one is beneficial? Which one is easily produced? Which one is more preferred? One makes you fat and the other prevents heart stroke, all these questions lead to other questions left unanswered. Well, let’s find out a few things about them.
The saying “everything in moderation” has become a battle cry for healthy eaters everywhere, but when it comes to sugar and salt, many of us just can’t help ourselves. Even though both play several essential roles in our health (for example, the brain needs sugar for energy and muscles need salt to contract), they can also cause a wide variety of health problems when consumed in excess.
SUGAR
It is not naturally occurring sugars (like those found in fruit) that experts have a problem with, as they are refined and added sugars. “Milk and 100 percent fruit juice, for example, contain natural sugars and calories. They also provide nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, protein (in milk) and polyphenols (in juice).
Not surprisingly, over consumption of these products can lead to obesity and nutrient deficiencies. All sugars, regardless of how they are labelled, have similar effects on the body in raising blood sugar levels, causing the production of insulin. Overtime, insulin resistance and the subsequent weight gain from excessive sugar consumption can lead to the development of type 2 diabetes, which can increase your risk for glaucoma, a leading cause of kidney failure, and a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke.
SALT
We need salt to regulate fluids and carry electrical charges between cells.” While the effects of sugar are becoming increasingly understood, how salt affects our health Is more debated”. For a regular healthy person, salt isn’t necessarily detrimental when consumed in moderation however, some populations are more sensitive to salt such as people over 50 and people who already have high blood pressure making a change in sodium affects them more than others.
For many years, experts believed sodium cause fluid retention in the body, and a build up of pressure in blood vessels, leading to high blood pressure. Uncontrolled blood pressure can lead to major health problems such as heart attack and stroke, as well as kidney and vision problems. Nevertheless, over the years, studies have shown conflicting results about the mineral’s connection with cardiac problems.
FINAL NOTE
Neither are particularly dangerous as long as they are consumed in moderation, but head-to-head, excess sugar has more of a negative impact on your overall health. Salt is essential for the body to function properly, sugar is not.
In addition, sugar can increase the negative effects of salt too. Insulin orders your kidneys to retain sodium and the more insulin the body produces, the more water and sodium the kidneys retain. The result? High blood pressure.
To stay in check on your health status, manage your sugar and salt intakes and focus more on nutritious sources of vitamins, such as grains, milk products & fruit and steer clear of too much salt and sugar for a better you.
