Can This De-bloating Strategy Actually Build You Gain Weight?

Its a narrative as old as hour and were not referring to the Disney magic of Beauty and the Beast. Were is speaking to salt and the long-standing idea that you should slash your sodium intake to keep your blood pressure in check and reduce water weight, a.k.a. bloat.

But in his new volume, The Salt Fix, James DiNicolantonio, Pharm.D ., claims that cutting back on salt can actually prevent you from losing weight. DiNicolantonio suggests that when your body is depleted of salt, it amps up your brain’s reward system( the thing that attains you feel ahhhhmazing after polishing off a doughnut or purse of chips ). And when this area of your brain is going HAM, you’re more likely to crave and feed a dessert or treat that you ordinarily wouldn’t. That can be an issue if you’re trying to shed pounds.

The theory is based on a 2004 study of mice published in Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior. For that study, the researchers found that when mouse is very low in sodiuma key mineral for many bodily functionstheir brains appear to sensitize their reward system or create a hyperactive reward system.

So should we all give low-sodium diets the boot?

Well, like other animal-only studies, this one should be taken with a grain of salt, says Keri Gans, R.D.N ., C.D.N ., writer of The Small Diet Change. While it’s true that depriving yourself of any ingredient( even salt) can cause increased cravings, those advises to eat junk are likely spurred by feeling restrictednot necessarily a change in brain chemistry, she says.

But does following a low-salt diet actually work against your weight loss aims? It depends, says Gans.

First off, you shouldnt cut off merely a single ingredient or nutrient in an effort to drop pounds, Gans says. Focusing on simply removing salt from your diet isnt going to be the golden ticket to losing weight because in doing so, youre disregarding other nutritional factors that are essential for weight loss. Instead of picking items based on their sodium content, you should consider how much fiber and protein( key nutrients to remaining fuller longer) versus calories and saturated fats a product has, she says.

Similarly, when you make a low-salt routine your primary focus, you might end up eating products advertised as reduced sodium or sodium-free. These seem like a good option, but they can be loaded with added sugars and calories, Gans says.

Eliminating any single ingredient from your diet, especially when it’s something you love, is just going to backfire, says Gans. So, if youre total salt junkie( a.k.a. one of those people whod choice a bag of chips over a cupcake any day of the week) banning sodium from your diet will likely lead you to stimulate unhealthy selections and sabotage your goals.

There’s also the fact that you need a certain amount of sodium to function and maintain hydration and electrolyte balance. So when you cut route back on salt, you could deprive your body of what it needs, says Lisa DeFazio, R.D. Instead of eliminating salt as a weight loss or debloating tactic, DeFazio recommends capping your intake at 400 to 500 mg per meal.

DeFazio and Gans recommend choice snacks such as air-popped or microwaveable popcorn because you can add a little bit of salt for taste( and fill that salt fix ). Plus, popcorn is low in cals and high in fiber, which are the actual key to weight loss. Other good low-salt snack options for weight loss: kosher dill pickle, roasted edamame, roasted chickpeas, and lightly-salted nuts.

Bottom line: Cutting back on salt is still a great way to reduce water weight, but going below 400 to 500 mg a snack might leave you with cravings.

This article originally seemed Women’s Health

Can this de-bloating strategy actually build you gain weight?

Can This De-bloating Strategy Actually Build You Gain Weight?

Can This De-bloating Strategy Actually Build You Gain Weight?

Can This De-bloating Strategy Actually Build You Gain Weight?

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