Is salt bad for you? Sodium in foods Where is all this sodium coming from? How to reduce your sodium intake Four simple actions for a healthier, lower sodium eating pattern: Fill your plate and stomach with fresh fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are naturally low in sodium and contain potassium which may help reduce blood pressure and risk for other medical conditions.
Select herbs, spices and fresh lemon or lime juice to season your foods. Choosing sodium free seasonings provides plenty of flavor without the negative effects of salt. Give yourself time to adjust to the new tastes. Enjoy more home cooked meals. Restaurant meals tend to be very high in sodium. By doing more home food preparation you can significantly decrease your overall salt consumption.
For some time, sodium has been linked to high blood pressure, which causes damage to your blood vessels and arteries when chronically elevated. In turn, this increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, heart failure and kidney disease.
However, these guidelines have been controversial, as not everyone may benefit from a reduced-sodium diet. This article explains the importance of sodium, potential risks of over- or underconsumption and how much sodium you should eat per day. Along with maintaining normal fluid balance, sodium plays a key role in normal nerve and muscle function.
You also lose sodium through sweating. Dietary sodium deficiencies are very rare under normal conditions — even with very-low-sodium diets 2 , 3. Sodium is an important nutrient for health. It plays a vital role in nerve and muscle function and helps your body maintain normal fluid balance. Most experts believe that the link between sodium and high blood pressure was first identified in France in 4.
Since then, research has established a strong relationship between excessive sodium intake and high blood pressure 6 , 7 , 8 , 9. Analyzing the urine sodium levels of more than , people from 18 countries across five continents, researchers found that those who consumed more sodium had significantly higher blood pressure than those with lower intakes Using the same population, other scientists demonstrated that people who consumed more than 7 grams of sodium per day were at a higher risk of heart disease and early death than people who consumed 3—6 grams daily People with high blood pressure, diabetes and chronic kidney disease , as well as older adults and African Americans, tend to be more sensitive to the blood-pressure-raising effects of sodium 12 , Sodium increases blood pressure.
This effect is stronger in certain populations, making them more sensitive to salt and more prone to blood-pressure-related heart disease. For decades, health authorities have urged people to limit their sodium intake to control blood pressure.
However, it would almost be impossible to consume this little, still meet your energy needs and get the recommended intake of other important nutrients.
This limit was established based on evidence from clinical studies that sodium intakes above 2, mg 2. The WHO suggests consuming 2, mg 2 grams of sodium per day, and the American Heart Association advises a much lower intake of 1, mg 1. Today, Americans consume much more sodium than health authorities recommend — averaging about 3, mg 3. Nutrition labels can help you do this. If you routinely take an effervescent dissolvable vitamin supplement, or take effervescent painkillers when necessary, it's worth remembering that these can contain up to 1g salt per tablet.
You may therefore wish to consider changing to a non-effervescent tablet, particularly if you have been advised to watch or reduce your salt intake. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before changing any medicine you take. Page last reviewed: 15 March Next review due: 15 March Salt: the facts - Eat well Secondary navigation Food and diet Nutrition and food groups Eating a balanced diet 8 tips for healthy eating The Eatwell Guide Food labels Food labelling terms Reference intakes on food labels Starchy foods and carbohydrates Dairy and alternatives Meat in your diet Fish and shellfish The healthy way to eat eggs Beans and pulses Water, drinks and your health Eating processed foods.
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