Modern foods, many of them ultra-processed, are full of salt and if even more is added, the health risks this behavior poses are heightened. In 2021, 1.8 million deaths were attributed to salt-overuse worldwide. However, it is not always clear who is most likely to add extra salt. Investigating the habit of adding salt to food at the table, researchers found that men who are not on diets to manage high blood pressure are most likely to salt food after preparation. They also found that living arrangements and diet choices can significantly influence people’s discretionary salt use – but don’t do so in equal measure for men and women. The team highlighted the need to spread the word about alternative ways of enhancing flavor without adding salt.
I did my own research, involuntarily, and those who have smoked or are actively smoking will find the taste of regular food bland and subconsciously increase their intake of salt.
Another piece of research has discovered that most recipes spread by word of mouth as it were, will claim for the reader to add spices by taste.
This leads me to believe that in general, people are unreliable when it comes to measurements because rather than individual preference, it’s more a matter of bodily trauma affecting perception.
Cool perspectiva!
Most people don’t even cook
Counterpoint: tasteless, boring food is not “regular” food, in fact it’s almost inconceivable in many parts of the world not carrying the corrosive influence of Puritanism. You can keep eating plain potatoes and that’s fine, and I’ll keep adding salt to them.
okay but can’t this just be explained by women statistically being the ones who prepare the food, so they already salt it to their tastes before it gets to the table?
I was told by my doctor to put more salt on my food because of low blood pressure. My father’s the same. Perhaps older men need more salt due to lower blood pressure?
Me too.
My dad too, however hypotension is extremely less likely (and generally less dangerous) than hypertension.
Yeah, it just means I feel a bit light-headed if I get up fast. Maybe I need more stress in my life.
Out of curiosity, when did your doctor tell you this? I ask because standard medical advice changes over time, and if its been a while you might want to ask again.
I’ve had low modestly low blood pressure at times. Never a big deal, but once they turned me away from donating blood because my pressure was a little lower than the standards allow. It was minor enough that my doctor basically said “be sure to stay hydrated and don’t worry about it”.
It was a couple of years ago. It has helped the light-headedness.
1.8 million deaths were attributed to salt-overuse worldwide.
Source? Or is this just an AI guess?
