Sometimes, those fries are calling your name and you can't say no – but the bloated feeling you get from the sodium overload isn't fun. Not just that, excess salt in your diet can have many other side effects like hypertension and poor kidney function. So, the next time you feel like you have overdone salt in the weekend, it could be a sign that you start cutting back on that salt. Scale back slowly and you will soon start reaping its many benefits. Here’s what you can expect when you walk your way back to a low-salt diet.

1 You Lose Weight

Ever noticed how your rings suddenly feel tight after a meal of hot dogs and French fries? There’s nothing alien happening in your body, it’s just that sodium in your meal that is causing you to retain water. When you consume too much sodium, your kidney holds onto more water. When you cut back on your sodium intake, your kidney no longer holds on to that excess fluid helping you to lose water weight.  So be up for a surprise the next time you are on that weighing scale. Salt, sugar and stress: its side effects on health and how to curb them.

2 Your Body Hydration Is On Point

Are you thirsty all the time? Blame it on your high-sodium diet which is causing dehydration.   A high-sodium diet without the additional intake of fluid can force your body to pull water from the cells can lead to dehydration. When you cut back on your intake of salt, you won’t run the risk of suffering from dehydration and will notice fewer trips to the toilet. Higher salt intake can cause gastrointestinal bloating, says study.

3 You Taste Buds Are Sensitised

Did you know that a lot of added salt can dull your taste buds? Simply put, you crave more salt when you eat more salt. As you scale back on your salt intake, your taste buds are more sensitised and do, you will be satisfied with moderate salt in your diet,

4 Your Blood Pressure Levels Are In Control

It’s no secret that reducing salt intake can keep your blood pressure levels in check. But a low sodium diet may actually eventually help you wean off your blood pressure medications. So, don’t be shocked if your doctor reduces the number of dosages the next time you visit him.

5 Your Heart Benefits Immensely

By keeping your blood pressure levels in check, you also reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. Around 50 percent of heart diseases are attributed to hypertension so when you add less salt in your diet, you also reap all the heart health benefits. Excess sodium has blood pressure-independent effects promoting a pumping problem of the heart’s main chamber as well as fibrosis which is thickening and scarring in the heart and arteries.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 15, 2019 12:24 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).