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If you’re trying to lose weight but your diet is high in salt, it might be time to take a closer look at the foods you are eating. According to the Scientific American, “Eating a lot of salt can cause your body to retain more water, which can show up on the scale as extra pounds.” Plus,”High salt diets appear to be linked to higher body fat—in particular, the kind of fat that accumulates around your middle.”
Likewise, keeping super salty foods in moderation is probably the way to go, particularly if you are hoping to slim down this spring.
Cold Cuts and Deli Meat
Although cold cuts and deli meat do not get as bad of a reputation as bacon or sausage, they are still processed meats. In other words, they are also packed with added sodium.
According to Geisinger, "A 2-ounce serving of turkey will set you back 440 mg of sodium, while the same serving of cooked salami has 590 mg of sodium."
And those numbers can add up very quickly. According to Men's Journal, three slices of deli turkey breast equals up to 1,050 mg of sodium. To put that into perspective, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests limiting sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day.
Consuming too much sodium is not only a concern in terms of weight gain. It can cause a host of health problems. Eat This, Not That! explains, "When you eat foods high in sodium, water retention can also increase. This high amount of water retention, especially in blood vessels, can result in high blood pressure and can add undue stress to veins and arteries."
Although it might sound tempting to throw out your salt shaker altogether, most of the salt in your diet actually comes from processed foods. Likewise, the best way to keep your sodium in check is to restrict the number of processed foods in your diet, including cold cuts and deli meats.
