Does eating salt when dieting make you gain weight? The relationship between weight and salt intake
Many people think that eating salt or sodium is not good when dieting. However, it always seemed strange to me. This is because the calorie content of salt is zero. I became curious about what kind of impact salt actually has to spread such a saying.
Actually, although salt has no calories, what kind of impact does it have that causes weight gain and leads to obesity? Or is it just a misconception that spread like an old wives' tale? Could this misconception have arisen because consuming a lot of salt and sleeping causes the body to swell? Out of curiosity, I looked into this matter further.
Temporary weight gain due to salt and water intake
When you eat salt, the concentration of salt in the body temporarily increases. The body demands water intake to maintain a certain level of salt concentration. A person who consumes salt will end up drinking more water and temporarily experience an increase in body weight.
However, as time passes and the salt is excreted, the body also expels the water. Eventually, as the water is expelled, the weight returns to its original state.
The calorie content of salt is 0kcal
Salt has 0kcal of calories. Salt intake itself does not have an effect on body weight. If we were to eat only salt, we would not gain weight.
However, foods containing salt play a role as a seasoning, so they may taste better than foods without salt, which could lead to a slight increase in food intake.
Summary
According to the information I found, salt does not significantly affect weight. Salt is an essential nutrient to consume, and a lack of it can lead to various problems such as fatigue, mental unrest, and dizziness. Rather than extremely limiting the amount due to dieting, it seems that consuming a moderate amount allows you to enjoy the taste of food without affecting your weight.
The information I have confirmed could be wrong, so I hope you check various sources and make a choice that can help your health.
