An invisible mark on your hands that means you have a lot of salt in your body

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Most Britons eat far more salt than the recommended daily allowance.

Contrary to popular belief, most of the salt you consume doesn't come from the salt shaker in your kitchen cupboard.

In fact, most of the popular seasonings you consume throughout the day are hidden in the products you buy at the grocery store, such as bread, biscuits, cereals, sauces and condiments.

According to the doctor, this hidden salt makes up about three-quarters of the salt people eat. What’s worse, people eat a third more than the recommended maximum of six grams of salt per day.

Luckily, your hands can tell if you’re guilty of eating too much of the popular condiment.

Salt causes your body to retain water, which can seep into your tissues and cause swelling. So your fingers can swell up from eating too much of a common ingredient.

When you eat too much salt, your body retains excess sodium and increases fluid outside your cells.

It’s not an immediate reaction after eating, but if you notice swelling in these areas within 24 hours of eating salty foods, it could be a connection. It’s best to seek medical attention if this happens consistently, as it could be a sign of a more serious health problem,” says the GP.

Your feet could also be a cause for concern

In addition to the hands, swelling, also known as edema, can also affect the ankles or feet.

“Swelling in these areas can become more noticeable if you sit for too long or are on long trips.”
The study linked high daily salt intake to leg swelling.

After examining data from 52 patients who were hospitalized with suspected benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostate cancer, the research team looked at patients who frequently needed the toilet at night, which is one of the hallmarks of prostate cancer.

“The results showed that excessive sodium intake may also increase nocturnal urination. In addition, the research team noted that the participants also had swelling of the legs,” the doctor comments on the study.

How to reduce salt intake

Fortunately, understanding food labels can help you choose foods that don't contain popular ingredients.

Your doctor recommends checking the nutrition information on food labels to determine if they are low, medium, or high in salt. You can then compare your favorite foods to other foods to find the healthiest option.

Following these guidelines will help you understand the salt content of foods:

• Low – 0.3 g of salt or less per 100 g.
• Medium – 0.3-1.5 g of salt per 100 g (usually they can be eaten)
• High level – 1.5 g of salt or more per 100 g (try to avoid it or eat it only occasionally).