Excessive of too much is bad. But did you know that excess of salt consumption can lead to stomach cancer.
What is food without salt. It is the key ingredient in all types of food. Meals taste b;and without these tiny white crystals. But how much salt is too much salt? Excess of anything is bad. It is important to keep sodium levels in check in order to manage blood pressure, electrolyte levels and more. Did you know that salt can actually lead to stomach cancer? Stomach cancer is the fifth most common cancers in India and is usually detected at a late stage. This leads to poor outcomes in treatment of such patients. It is better to prevent the development of Stomach cancer.
Causes of Stomach Cancer
Normally people consume about 4-6 grams of salt per day, Dr. Samir Gupta, HOD, Oncosurgery, DPU Super Specialty Hospital, Pimpri, Pune said speaking with India.com. This salt comes from food. A large analysis of about 37,000 people from all over the world showed that increasing salt intake leads to increased risk of stomach cancer. This raised risk of Stomach cancer by about one and half times to two times compared to people with less or normal salt intake. This has been confirmed by animal studies on rats.
The foods which contain excessive salt are salted fish, salted meat and vegetables. Pickles can be highly salted, and excess consumption can be harmful. Another food item which is highly salted is Soy sauce, which is commonly used in oriental cooking. In association with salt such food is also high in chillies which is also a risk factor . Food at high temperature is another risk factor.
Salt and Stomach Cancer
The salt damages the lining of the stomach. This makes it more prone to damage by stomach acid. This can change the lining of the stomach to a type called intestinal type. This type of lining is more likely to develop cancer. Helicobacter pylori, a bacteria in the stomach thrives in a saline environment. These bacteriaare well known as a risk factor for stomach cancer.
This can be done by avoiding excessive consumption of salt. Extra salt should not be added to cooked food. Salty foods like salted meats and pickles should be avoided.
In fact, it has been found that consumption of fruits and green leafy vegetables protects against stomach cancer.