We have been warned about the dangers of salt for many years. High salt intake, it is claimed, causes a variety of health problems including high blood pressure and heart disease.
However, decades of research have failed to provide convincing evidence to support this. Indeed many studies show that not eating enough salt can damage your health.
No evidence that less salt will reduce the risk of heart disease
Some review studies have found no evidence that limiting salt intake will reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes or death.
Health authorities have been telling us to cut back on sodium for decades. They say more than about one teaspoon per day is bad for you. Most adults consume much more than that.
They say too much salt will raise your blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. However, there are some serious doubts about the true benefits of sodium restriction.
It is true that reducing salt intake can lower blood pressure, especially in people with a medical condition called salt-sensitive hypertension. But, for a healthy person, the average reduction of risk is very small. One study from 2013 found that for people with normal blood pressure, restricting salt intake reduced systolic blood pressure by only 2.42 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by only 1.00 mmHg. Is this result worth enduring a tasteless diet?
Too little salt can be harmful to your health
A low-salt diet has been linked to higher LDL and triglyceride levels, and increased insulin resistance. It may increase the risk of death from heart disease, heart failure and type 2 diabetes.
Too much salt is linked to stomach cancer
Several observational studies have linked high salt intake with an increased risk of stomach cancer. Stomach cancer is the fifth most common cancer.
A massive review article from 2012 looked at data from seven prospective studies, including a total of 268,718 participants. It found that people with high salt intake have a 68 percent higher risk of stomach cancer.
How or why this happens is not clear, but several theories exist:
Growth of bacteria: High salt intake may increase the growth of Helicobacter pylori, a bacteria that can lead to inflammation and gastric ulcers.
Damage to stomach lining: A diet high in salt may damage and inflame the stomach lining, thus exposing it to carcinogens.
Take note: These are observational studies. They cannot prove that high salt intake causes stomach cancer, only that the two are strongly associated.
Processed foods are the big salt culprits
Most of the salt in the modern diet comes from packaged, processed foods. Only about 25 percent of salt intake occurs from natural foods or from adding salt during cooking or at the table.
Salted snack foods, canned and instant soups, processed meat, pickled foods and soy sauce are examples of high-salt foods.
Some salt snippets
- Salt is also called sodium chloride (NaCl).
- The words “salt” and “sodium” are interchangeable.
- Some varieties of salt may contain trace amounts of calcium, potassium, iron and zinc.
- Iodine is often added to table salt.
- The essential minerals in salt act as important electrolytes in the body. They help with fluid balance, nerve transmission and muscle function.
- Some amount of salt is naturally found in most foods.
- Salt is added to food in order to improve flavour.
- Historically, salt was used to preserve food. High amounts can prevent the growth of bacteria that cause food to go bad.
- Salt is harvested in two main ways: from salt mines and by evaporating sea water or other mineral-rich water.
- There are many types of salt available. Common varieties include plain table salt, Himalayan pink salt and sea salt.
- The different types of salt may vary in taste, texture and colour.
Source: Authority Nutrition
