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Losing weight is a combination of diet and exercise, but sometimes it can be difficult to know what parts of your diet need changing. Specifically, if the foods you are eating are healthy, it might be the toppings and sauces that are the culprit behind the extra pounds.
With that in mind, keep reading for the one sauce you should never use because it causes instant weight gain.
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Soy Sauce
Soy sauce is very high in sodium, and too much sodium can lead to a variety of health problems, including heart disease and stomach cancer. Plus, it can also lead to you gaining water weight.
According to Medical News Today, "Too much sodium, or salt, can cause immediate water retention. This is because the body needs to keep its sodium-to-water ratio balanced to function properly, so will hold on to water if too much salt is consumed."
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According to Healthline, the daily recommended sodium intake for adults is less than 2.3 grams--or about one teaspoon of salt. Soy sauce can make it difficult to stay below this number since just one tablespoon of soy sauce would be around 38% of the current RDI (Reference Daily Intake).
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Too much salt is related to weight gain, as well as other health issues.
According to WedMD, "Eating an extra gram of salt each day increased the risk of obesity in children by 28% and in adults by 26%."
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WebMD continues, "[W]hen sodium levels rise too high, blood pressure often goes up as well. Over time, high blood pressure can have serious, life-threatening consequences. It can lead to stroke, heart attack, kidney disease, and other health problems."
With that in mind, your weight is not the only thing you should worry about when it comes to your salt intake.