Why You Should Cut Your Salt Intake

There’s more to cutting your salt intake than just remo9ving the salt shaker from the table.  Any number of foods usually contain too much sodium – cereals, ketchup, most processed foods and restaurant meals, for example.  But it’s hard to cut down on salt.  To help motivate us, Californian scientists have quantified the benefits of reducing dietary salt; their report is in the New England Journal of Medicine. 

The scientists used a computer simulation model – the Coronary Heart Disease Policy Model established in 1987 – to determine the projected benefits to the US adult population with a reduction of daily salt intake by 3 grams daily.  The change would result in 60,000 to 120,000 fewer cases of coronary heart disease, 32,000 to 66,000 fewer strokes, 54,000 to 99,000 fewer heart attacks, and 44,000 to 92,000 fewer deaths from any cause.  

The average US daily salt intake is about 10 grams a day; the WHO recommends only 5 grams daily, and the Us Department of Agriculture sets a limit at 5.8 grams daily.  So 3 grams less daily (which is only a teaspoonful) ought to be in reach.  But it’s not so simple; most salt comes from processed and restaurant foods, and such a change would require a ‘concerted national effort’, according to one expert.

Individuals, especially those with high blood pressure, should take the results of this report to heart, and practice salt reduction within their own capabilities.  Apart from its benefits on the cardiovascular system, salt reduction has been reported to improve kidney health, and reduce the risk of stomach cancer and osteoporosis.