Study: Excessive salt intake increases stomach cancer risk

The diverse and complex cooking methods of Taiwanese cuisine satisfy the discerning taste buds of the Chinese people, but long-term consumption of heavy-tasting food also puts people's health in a state of alarm. The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) roughly estimates that if everyone can control their daily salt intake to less than 6 grams, in addition to being less likely to develop chronic cardiovascular diseases, the incidence of gastric cancer can also be reduced by about 14%, killing two birds with one stone.

Eating less salt can not only prevent chronic diseases, but also reduce the incidence of gastric cancer.

The British National Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported on the 22nd that in Western diets, the salt content of smoked products such as ham, bacon, and sausages is generally high. If they are eaten with bread and sauces, it is easy to cause excessive salt intake. The World Cancer Research Fund warns that adults' daily salt intake should be controlled within an upper limit of 6 grams (one teaspoon of salt), but the global average is as high as 8.6 grams, which is significantly above the standard. This not only directly affects the stability of blood pressure, but also increases the risk of stomach cancer.

Statistics from Cancer Research UK show that about 6,000 British people are diagnosed with stomach cancer every year. An estimated 14% of cases could be avoided if the daily salt intake limit of 6 grams was maintained. Nutritionists point out that many people are accustomed to sprinkling salt or pouring sauce on food to enhance the flavor when eating. However, a small amount of salt has been added to these things during the processing process. Therefore, adding extra salt when cooking is undoubtedly a huge burden on health.

Researchers remind that the "sodium content" label on food packaging is not equal to the salt content. Generally speaking, the salt content is equal to 2.5 times the sodium content. Therefore, 6 grams of salt contains 2.4 grams of sodium. If consumers can pay more attention to this type of information, excessive salt intake can be controlled.