According to health watch institutions like the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in America, the average person should limit their sodium consumption to 2.4 grams of sodium a day. That’s about 1 tsp of table salt. The amount of daily sodium you’re allowed to have decreases to 1.5 grams per day if you are already suffering from risk factors like high blood pressure.
The worst part about consuming too much sodium is that it is very easy to do. Restaurants and grandmothers’ kitchens are notorious for adding too much sodium to their dishes. Not to mention the fact that people are always tempted to add the excess salt themselves. Don’t panic if you’ve consumed too much salt for a meal or two. It is actually possible to counteract excess salt consumption; all you need is a little bit of potassium and water.
How Does Potassium Counteract Salt Intake?
Sodium and potassium go together like yin and yang. They are two complementary yet repulsing compounds in your body. The sodium ups your blood pressure and helps with fluid retention while the potassium relaxes and decreases your blood pressure to flush out excess fluid. If you’ve consumed too much sodium, then try to balance it out with a little bit of potassium (a big banana is a perfect choice).
Don’t Forget to Drink Water
When you consume an excessive amount of salt, your body will naturally attempt to dilute it by retaining as much water as possible. You can aid your body in diluting the excess salt by drinking more water. The more water you consume, the more you will dilute the salt and the less water your body will retain on its own.
