應該吃多少鹽沒有標準答案

Health organizations warn that most people consume too much salt. We've all heard that excess sodium can raise blood pressure and contribute to heart disease. Moreover, it may affect the brain, kidneys, and blood vessels, leading to poor health. For example, research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology suggests that eating too much sodium can cause stiffening of the arteries, impaired endothelial function, and cardiovascular problems.

衛(wèi)生組織警告說，大多數(shù)人攝入過多的鹽。我們都知道過量的鹽會升高血壓并導致心臟病。此外，它可能影響大腦、腎臟和血管，導致健康不佳。例如，發(fā)表在美國心臟病學會雜志上的研究表明，攝入過多的鹽會導致動脈硬化、內皮功能受損和心血管問題。

What you may not know is that your body needs sodium to function properly, explains Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Table salt, or sodium chloride, plays a key role in muscle and nerve function while maintaining your fluid and electrolyte balance. This nutrient also enhances food flavor, prevents bacterial growth, and masks bitterness, among other properties.

哈佛大學陳T.H.公共衛(wèi)生學院解釋說，你可能不知道的是，你的身體需要鹽才能正常運轉。食鹽或氯化鹽在維持體液和電解質平衡的同時，對肌肉和神經(jīng)功能起著關鍵作用。這種營養(yǎng)素還能增強食品風味，防止細菌生長，掩蓋苦味等特性。

As the researchers note, we need no more than 500 milligrams of sodium per day. Yet, the average American consumes about 3,400 milligrams daily, reports Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The problem is that there is no consensus on how much salt we should be eating. Ask three different experts about it, and you will get three different answers.

正如研究人員所指出的，我們每天需要的鹽不超過500毫克。然而，哈佛大學陳德熙公共衛(wèi)生學院(Harvard T.H.Chan School of Public Health)的報告顯示，美國人平均每天攝入約3400毫克。問題是對于我們應該吃多少鹽沒有標準答案。問三位不同的專家，你會得到三個不同的答案。

The American Heart Association recommends about 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day — that's less than a teaspoon of salt. This amount appears to be safe for most adults, including those with high blood pressure, notes Harvard Health Publishing. People aged 51 to 70 years should aim for 1,300 milligrams of sodium per day, while those over 70 years old should have no more than 1,200 milligrams.

美國心臟協(xié)會建議每天攝入1500毫克的鹽——還不到一茶匙。哈佛健康出版社指出，這個量對大多數(shù)成年人來說似乎是安全的，包括那些有高血壓的人。51歲至70歲的人每天應攝入1300毫克的鹽，而70歲以上的人每天應攝入不超過1200毫克。

But not everyone agrees with these recommendations. Dr. Eric Berg, DC, states that eating less than a teaspoon of salt per day can actually increase the risk of heart attacks (via YouTube). Instead, he suggests consuming two teaspoons of salt per day, especially if you're on a ketogenic diet. This eating plan is low in carbs and high in fat. After ingestion, carbs are converted to glycogen — and each gram of glycogen is stored with at least 3 grams of water, reports a 2015 study featured in the European Journal of Applied Physiology. Therefore, you can expect to lose water weight while on the keto diet.

但并非所有人都同意這些建議。Eric Berg博士說，每天吃少于一茶匙的鹽實際上會增加心臟病發(fā)作的風險。相反，他建議每天攝入兩茶匙鹽，特別是如果你正在進行生酮飲食的話。這種飲食計劃碳水化合物含量低，脂肪含量高。2015年發(fā)表在《歐洲應用生理學雜志》上的一項研究報告稱，攝入碳水化合物后，碳水化合物會轉化為糖原，每克糖原至少與3克水一起儲存。因此，在酮類飲食中，你確實可以減輕體內水的重量。

Sodium causes your body to hold onto water, which may help prevent dehydration. Considering this aspect, it makes sense to increase your salt intake when cutting down on carbs. However, Dr. Berg points out that his recommendations don't apply to those who tend to retain fluid. So, unless you are on a low-carb diet, it's best to keep your sodium intake in check and stick to 1,500 milligrams per day.

鹽會使你的身體保持水分，有助于防止身體脫水?？紤]到這一點，在減少碳水化合物攝入的同時增加鹽的攝入是有意義的。然而，Berg博士指出，他的建議不適用于那些傾向于保持水分的人。所以，除非你正在進行低碳水化合物飲食，否則最好控制鹽攝入量，堅持每天不超過1500毫克。