It’s time to say bye-bye, or au revoir, to that Bageutte bébé. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just released a new report that says bread and rolls are the main source of sodium in America’s over-salted diet. It’s bread, and not “salty” snacks like chips, pretzels, or French fries, that is the main culprit behind the fact that nearly 90 percent of Americans eat too much salt-consuming almost 1000 more milligrams of salt, on average, than the daily recommended limit.
Not only does excessive sodium consumption raise your blood pressure (a major risk of heart disease and stroke) it does a big number on your skin-a fact that anyone after a more flawless face should digest. “The skin can be a direct reflection of what’s going on inside the body,” says Sarasota, FL, dermatologist Elizabeth F. Callahan, MD. That means too much salt will show up all over your face.
Sodium decreases the amount of water intake of your internal organs and when internal organs are thirsty and dehydrated, they steal the water out of your skin. When the skin is dehydrated, very fine lines become present, and the overall skin color will be flat.
Iodized salt, found in a lot of breads, is especially worrisome in high doses, as it has been shown to aggravate acne. To cut some salt out of your diet, cut back on white bread and make the switch to whole grain varieties. Also, study nutrition labels, one slice of white bread can really vary in sodium content, ranging from about 80 mg to 230 mg.
