It's no secret that Americans eat too much salt--heck, the USDA even tried to make us more aware of our affinity for the salty stuff when it recently changed its salt intake guidelines. And knowing that it affects us is alarming enough... but just wait till you see how fast it affects us, according to a new study.
A new study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that salt works fast. After you eat something salty, the change in your arteries can be seen in the time it takes to have a pizza delivered: 30 minutes.
After studying the physiological effects of volunteers who ate low-sodium tomato soup and soup with ten times that amount (yoinks!), researchers found that salty foods impair the widening ability of blood vessels--even in people with normal blood pressure.
"What surprised us was that this is similar to responses seen after a meal high in saturated fats, which we know can be damage blood vessels in the long-term," said Kacie Dickinson, the study's lead author.
The subjects' arteries were back to normal about two hours later, so researchers aren't certain what their findings mean in the long-term, but say that the study serves as a reminder that salt needs to be enjoyed in moderation.
And, as someone who admittedly takes an extra salt-sprinkle here and there, I will take all the reminders I can get.
Do you try to watch your sodium? What spices do you use to flavor your food instead of salt?