Signs that you are consuming too much salt can be seen in your hands and feet

Consuming too much salt can be dangerous, but people don't know when they've eaten too much salt.

Salting food too much can increase your risk of high blood pressure, and there are a number of signs that you're taking in too much salt.

One sign is swelling of the hands and feet. Salt increases the amount of water you retain in your body, which can cause edema – the medical term for swelling of the joints, legs and feet.

As The Sun reports, and why swelling can often go away on its own, it could be a sign of something serious if it doesn't go away within a few days, Telegraph reports.

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Olivia Burley, nutritionist for the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, said that when too much salt is consumed, the body stores excess sodium and increases fluid outside the cells.

"This causes the kidneys to have a reduced function, remove less water and therefore increase the blood pressure", she said for mail Online.

It can increase the risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke, as well as aneurysms, kidney disease and dementia.

Read too Five reasons for water retention by the body

Excess salt is one of the main causes of cardiovascular problems. Guidelines suggest that adults should take no more than 6g per day, but most people take more than this dose.

Most of this salt does not come from being added to food, but is hidden in ready-to-eat ingredients such as breads and sauces, reports Blood Pressure UK.

This may cause swelling of the hands or feet for about a day. after eating foods high in salt, experts say.

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The study, published in Neurourology and Urodynamics, found that excessive daily salt consumption was associated with leg swelling in older men.

This is not an immediate reaction after eating, but if you notice swelling in these areas within 24 hours of eating salty food, it may be related. If the swelling does not go away after a few days, it may be a sign that you should consult a doctor. /Telegraph/