Salt is an essential part of our daily diet, but including it in food in a specific way is shown to increase the risks of gastric cancer, also known as stomach cancer.
Stomach cancer is reportedly the fifth most common cancer worldwide, causing hundreds and thousands of deaths every year. The study evaluated the salt consumption habits of samples for over 10 years to understand its impact on health.
Adding table salt to food at the table is not advisable
The study published in the journal Gastric Cancer reveals that people who “always add salt to food” are more prone to stomach cancer with an increased risk of 41%.
Over 470,000 people in the UK Biobank were included in the study to understand the relation between the frequency at which they added salt to their diet and gastric cancer.
It was found that the cancer risk among participants who said they “always” add salt to their food at the table was higher than those who responded, “never/rarely”.
“Always adding salt to food” at the table was associated with a higher gastric cancer risk in a large sample of UK adults,” the study notes.
Even though the study doesn’t determine the relation between sodium – as high as 6,976 mg in each tablespoon of salt- and gastric cancer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends consuming less than “2,300 mg of sodium daily for teens and adults as part of a healthy eating pattern.”
Meanwhile, excessive intake of sodium is linked to increased blood pressure, risk of heart disease and stroke. However, your craving for salt can also be caused by underlying conditions such as stress and anxiety, as explained by a licensed nutritionist.
Symptoms of stomach cancer
According to Hopkins Medicine, the exact cause of stomach cancer is yet to be known, but lifestyle and diet choices are believed to be associated with it.
Among the risks of gastric cancer are diets lacking fresh vegetables and fruits, which are high in salt, and are either smoked or processed. Smoking and drinking alcohol are also said to increase the risks of the disease.
Unlike other cancers, the one affecting the stomach may not show any suggestive symptoms in the earlier stages except a sense of fullness, mild belly pain, and fatigue, as noted by the medical institution.
More prominent symptoms in the later stages of the illness include unexpected weight loss, severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, dark or sticky stool, and difficulty swallowing among others. You are advised to see a doctor immediately upon noticing any of the above symptoms.
