98: How Too Much Sugar and Salt Affects Your Health and Practical Ways to Reduce Your Intake

Sugar and salt are everywhere — but do you really know what they're doing to your body? In this episode, we break down the roles sugar and salt play in food, the pros and cons of each, and practical ways to reduce your daily intake without feeling deprived. Small changes here make a big difference.

Resource(s): Cleveland Clinic and University of Georgia Extension 

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Transcript

Brief Summary of objectives (3):

• Identify the roles that sugar and salt play in food functionality
• Discuss the pros and cons of salt and sugar in your diet 
• Explore ways to reduce daily added sugar and salt intake 

Topic 1: Roles that sugar and salt play in food functionality 

Point 1: If you have ever tried to modify sugar and salt in a recipe and it just didn’t turn out the way you thought that it would, it is likely due to the functional properties of sugar and salt, not just the flavor. Sugar and salt both provide texture, inhibit microbial growth, enhance color, and add bulk and body, especially in baked goods and preserved foods. Think about if you have ever had cookies or muffins and used an alternative sweetener or a sugar substitute. They may have lacked the golden-brown color that you would expect, since sugar provides a caramelizing effect. Without it, your baked goods can look a little on the pale side.  

Point 2:   Salt serves as a binder and stabilizer in foods as well as a food preservative, assisting in inhibiting bacterial growth by reducing the amount of water activity in food. Salt can strengthen gluten in bread or improve the binding of meat products and enhance the flavor of other ingredients.  

Point 3: Without sugar and salt, many of the products that we enjoy would have much shorter shelf-lives and would not appear as appealing. 

Topic 2: Discuss the pros and cons of salt and sugar in your diet 

Point 1: The good news: our bodies actually NEED sugar and salt in order to function properly. According to our friends at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, our bodies need a small amount of sodium for our nervous system, muscle contraction/relaxation, and fluid and mineral balance. When it comes to sugar, our brains utilize glucose as an essential source of energy. Glucose comes from carbohydrates which are converted into sugar for our body to use as energy. 

Point 2: The bad news: We as Americans tend to consume way more sodium and sugar than is necessary for these daily functions. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest that we don’t consume more than 2,300 mg a day, but due to our consumption of highly processed foods and beverages, most people in the US are exceeding that amount. The same goes for sugar. The American Heart Association suggests that women and children consume no more than 6 teaspoons (that’s about 25 grams) of added sugar a day, while men should consume no more than 9 teaspoons (36 grams). The average 10 oz canned soda contains roughly 10 teaspoons, which exceeds the recommendation for the entire day in just one drink. 

Point 3: The long-lasting issues related to excess sugar and salt consumption over time is relative to increased risk for obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and other chronic diseases. When consumed in moderation, sugar and salt are not harmful, but too much overtime can have lasting effects on our health. 

Topic 3: Ways to reduce daily sugar and salt intake

Point 1: Use the tools available to you. The nutrition facts label on packaged products can aid you in choosing options that are lower in added sugar and salt. When looking at the nutrition facts label, look for the % daily value column and choose items that are 5% or lower. This means that one serving of this food contributes to 5% or less of the recommended limits based on a 2,000 a day calorie diet. 20% or more means that the product is considered to be high in that nutrient. 

Point 2: There are some foods that we know right off the bat that contain lots of sugar or sodium. Sweetened foods would be like sodas, pastries, cookies, and desserts. Salty foods would be like fried foods, potato chips, deli and cured meats. Some foods that may not be quite as obvious culprits would be like salad dressings, breads, flavored yogurts, milk and coffee beverages. 

Point 3: There are ways to naturally flavor foods using herbs, spices, and seasonings instead of using salt. There are also ways to naturally sweeten foods like putting fruit in plain yogurt or using cinnamon, vanilla, or applesauce. Packaged and processed foods often use salt and sugar for preservatives in addition to flavor. To reduce the amount of sugar and salt in your diet, aim for more whole foods and less highly processed foods and explore alternative options for flavoring rather than using sugar and salt. 

Call to action: Use the nutrition facts label to assess how much sugar and salt are in the foods that you eat. 

Resources and where to connect. 

Cleveland Clinic 

UGA Extension