Eating excess sugar does not cause diabetes but salt might do just the same. How? Well, the salt you consume (table salt) is composed of 40% sodium and 60% chloride. When consume excess sodium, your body retains more water to counter it, increasing the volume of blood being circulated in your body. This leads to high blood pressure, which is one of the indirect triggers of diabetes. Moreover, eating salty snacks and food items more than often leads to cravings for sugary beverages. In addition to this, studies have found that an increase in dietary salt intake surpasses the activity of renin-angiotensin or RAS, which plays a crucial role in the regulation of renal and cardiovascular physiology.

Low-Sodium Foods You Can Add To Your Diet Today

All the aforementioned reasons make low-sodium food items a healthier choice for people. But if you are wondering what to consume, here is a list of low-sodium food items that you can include in your everyday diet.

1. Fresh or frozen vegetables without added sauces or seasonings are naturally low in sodium—typically less than 50 mg per serving. However, the fancy salads sold out in the market are "loaded" with high-salt condiments and salad dressings. add

For a healthier twist, it is advised to use a dash of balsamic vinegar as a salad dressing and adding shelled edamame, a low-sodium soybean, for a nutritional boost. For variety, try a cauliflower and black bean rancheros recipe, ensuring low-sodium canned vegetables are used.

2. Baked and sweet potatoes are naturally low in sodium and rich in potassium. Incorporating these into your diet may reduce the need for excessive sodium reduction, though moderation remains key. To enhance your potato dishes, consider topping baked potatoes with low-sodium salsa or adding cinnamon to sweet potatoes. For a creative take, try a sweet potato avocado "toast" recipe for a potassium-rich snack or lunch option.

Unsalted Nuts Are An Interesting Option

3. Unsalted, in-shell nuts are a heart-healthy, sodium-free snack that’s rich in fibre and unsaturated fats. Ex excellent tip to limit their consumption is to crack their shells as it slows down the process. Popcorn is another low-sodium option when air-popped or prepared on the stove with a little olive oil. Just skip the salt.

4. Fruits like apples, apricots, papayas, and bananas are naturally low in sodium and provide heart-healthy potassium. Substitute these for sugary snacks—an apple instead of cookies, or apricots instead of salty chips. For dessert, consider a warm fruit salad with almonds and chocolate for a satisfying yet low-sodium treat.

5. Yogurt is a low-sodium, calcium-rich food that supports heart health and blood pressure management. Opt for plain yoghurt over flavoured varieties, which often contain added sugars. Enhance plain yoghurt by adding fruits or nuts. Try a plum, almond, and yoghurt parfait for a heart-healthy snack or dessert option.

6. Beans, lentils, and grains are excellent low-sodium choices. Grains like oats also help lower bad cholesterol and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Choose dried beans or low-sodium canned options to limit sodium intake. Start your day with oatmeal topped with fruits, nuts, and cinnamon, or incorporate rice and beans into your meals. Enhance flavours with spices like turmeric, rosemary, garlic, or cayenne instead of salt. For a creative breakfast, try banana and coconut quinoa and oats porridge—a nutritious and flavorful option.

Heartburn and bloating are common indicators of indigestion. According to the US National Institute of Health, more than one billion people worldwide suffer from heartburn and related acid reflux, while nearly 18 per cent of the global population suffers from chronic bloating weekly.

Spicy foods are commonly blamed for heartburn and bloating; however, Dr Saurabh Sethi, a Harvard-trained gastroenterologist, has debunked this myth by claiming five recurring habits that he has seen common amongst such patients in his vast years of experience.

Addressing these underlying issues may help improve symptoms before turning to additional medications, he said, in an Instagram Post.

• Not enough fiber in the diet

Topping the list is a problem that affects a large portion of adults: inadequate fiber intake.

Fiber plays a critical role in maintaining a healthy gut microbiome and supporting regular digestion.

”A fiber-depleted gut feeds the wrong microbes, leading to excess gas and bloating,” Dr. Sethi said. The daily fiber intake target for an adult should be between 25 and 38 grams, which most adults fail to meet.

• Chronic stress

The connection between mental health and digestive health is stronger than many people realize.

The gastroenterologist stated that the gut-brain axis, the communication network linking the digestive system and the brain, is real, and stress can alter gut motility, increase symptom perception, and worsen both bloating and reflux.

• Wrong use of Peppermint

Peppermint tea is a naturally caffeine-free herbal infusion made from leaves of the peppermint plant, widely enjoyed to soothe digestion and reduce bloating.

However, it can cause the opposite of treating bloating by relaxing the lower esophageal sphincter and worsen heartburn.

“You may be treating one symptom while triggering another,” said the specialist, who has performed over 1000 endoscopies.

Read More: FSSAI Tightens Food Safety Norms, Mandates Food-Grade Knives, Cutting Tools

• Lying down after the meals

Another common habit among patients with chronic heartburn is lying down shortly after meals.

The doctor explained that gravity is the best antacid, and lying down within 2 to 3 hours of eating can cause heavy acid reflux. Dr. Sethi claims that he sees this pattern in chronic heartburn patients every week.

• Eating too fast

Many people rush through meals without realizing the impact it can have on digestion. One of the biggest contributors to bloating is swallowed air, which increases significantly when people eat too quickly.

"Your stomach isn't a trash compactor," said the gastroenterologist. He also talked about how fast eaters swallow significantly more air than slow eaters.

Dr Sethi said that for people struggling with chronic heartburn and bloating, the solution may not always involve eliminating spicy foods or adding another medication.

From the United States to India, the problem of food-borne diseases is constantly on the rise. The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found that 402 US foodborne disease outbreaks were caused by marine toxins in fish and shellfish over the last 23 years, and the researchers also revealed that foodborne diseases caused 1,280 illnesses, 96 hospitalizations, and one death.

The research team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education parsed data from the CDC’s Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System (FDOSS) from 2011 to 2023. The data have been provided voluntarily by the local state and health authorities to FDOSS through the CDC’s National Outbreak Reporting System since 2009.

Improper storage of fish at uncontrolled temperatures can lead to the formation of histamine, a compound that may trigger allergic reactions in people. It can also promote the production of scombroid toxins by bacteria that contain the highly active enzyme histidine carboxylase. In addition, other marine toxins may originate from algae and accumulate in fish and shellfish through the food chain, occur naturally in certain fish species, or arise from as-yet unidentified sources.

The authors of the study said that marine toxins cause most of the noninfectious outbreaks reported to FDOSS each year. They also wrote, “Marine toxins that cause foodborne illness are tasteless, odorless, resistant to cooking or freezing, and can produce a complex variety of gastrointestinal, neurologic, and neuropsychologic symptoms.” Then added, “Among persons with severe illness resulting from ingestion of marine toxins, cardiovascular and respiratory manifestations can result in hospitalization and death.”

FSSAI Introduces Stricter Quality Checks For Seafood

The contamination through seafood has also compelled the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to bring forth a stricter quality check for them. Recently, India’s food regulator has introduced new safety standards across a wide range of foods, and one of them was seafood, such as prawns.

The draft regulations by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) cover heavy metals, toxins, antibiotic residues, and quality standards for both commonly used foods and emerging edible products, the Times of India reported. The new regulations are expected to come into force on December 1.

Also Read: UK Met Office Warns of 'Pollen Bomb': What Hay Fever Patients Need to Know

Notably, the FSSAI's new safety standards will also apply to a wide range of foods, such as besan or gram flour, edible and cold-pressed seed oils.

In a separate draft notification, the FSSAI proposed quality and safety standards for lesser-used edible oils made from chilli, tomato, muskmelon, and okra seeds as demand rises for cold-pressed oils, seed-based snacks, and plant-based nutrition products.

The draft rules also cover edible seeds such as watermelon, cucumber, pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, and flaxseed sold in raw, roasted, or salted forms, requiring them to be clean and free from insects, fungus, and visible contamination before sale.

As we all know, chronic inflammation is a prolonged response that can last for months or years, leading to disorders. It can lead to diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and many more conditions.

Acute inflammation is short-term and promotes healing; chronic inflammation is prolonged and systemic, and it attacks our own system and damages healthy cells.

What Is An Anti-inflammatory Diet?

An anti-inflammatory diet focuses on whole, nutrient-dense foods; fruits and vegetables should be a regular part of this diet. Berries, green leafy veggies, onion, garlic, and carrots are really good at reducing inflammation.

They are a large supply of antioxidants and polyphenols. These antioxidants help in reducing oxidative stress, which is caused by free radicals.

How To Make Meals Healthy

Adding a healthy fat to our everyday diet in moderate quantities. Foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as flaxseed, walnuts, and salmon, are a good source of good fat. Using unrefined oil can help reduce inflammation.

Consuming whole grains like millets and brown rice. They are rich in dietary fiber, and phytochemicals may have the potential to act in an anti-inflammatory manner. A healthy gut can produce short-chain fatty acids by gut microbiomes, which positively impact inflammation.

Mother Nature has given many spices. Turmeric is the most commonly used spice, and curcumin has been used for a long time because of its active components. Adding them to our meals can make the food even healthier.

Foods That Cause Inflammation

Many foods can also lead to inflammation, such as sugars, refined carbs, processed food, and deep-fried foods, which can increase the inflammation and lead to damage to healthy cells.

Anti-Inflammatory Diet: A Lifestyle Choice

Drinking water and eating regular food can also help. Eating healthy food and at the right time can help us.

In conclusion, eating an anti-inflammatory diet is not about following a lot of rules. It is about making choices that we can stick to. By taking foods that are full of nutrients, we can reduce chronic inflammation and stay healthy for a long time. Anti-Inflammatory eating is a lifestyle choice that can help us feel better and live longer.