Salt
Salt is composed primarily of sodium chloride and is ubiquitously used as food seasoning. Sodium is one of the primary electrolytes in your body and is needed for optimal body function. But too much or too little salt in your diet can be bad for you.
Health effects
- Salt helps regulate the fluid balance (water content) of the body. Drinking too much water with insufficient salt intake over a short period can lead to water intoxication (water poisoning), a potentially fatal disturbance in brain functions. Avoid 'fad' diets which advise drinking extreme amounts of water 'to make you feel full'. The recommended intake of water is 6-8 glasses per day.
- Long term high intake of salt can lead to increased risk of stroke and high blood pressure. You can develop high blood pressure at any age and it leads to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. You might not even know if you have high blood pressure because many people who have it show no symptoms.
- Osteoporosis - one study suggests that high levels of salt can lead to reduced bone density in women.
- Ingesting large amounts of salt (1g per kg of body weight) in a short time can be fatal.
Get the right amount of salt in your diet
As with most of the basic nutrients your body needs, it's all about getting the right balance in your diet.
It's not necessary to add salt to your meals, because up to 75% of your daily intake of salt can already be included in processed foods (which include most of the everyday foods we buy). The Deparment of Health and the Food Standards Agency is working with manufacturers to reduce the amount of salt they put in processed foods and provide sufficient information on food labels.
If you have a balanced diet, don't worry that you might not be getting enough salt if you don't add any extra to your food - it's very difficult to have too little because salt is found in many everyday foods including bread, breakfast cereals, soups and sauces.
For adults and children over 11, the recommended daily intake is no more than 6g of salt a day (2.4g sodium). That is about a teaspoon full. When buying meals, check the label to find out how much salt is in the food, and try to choose those with less salt content. Foods with 1.5g of salt per 100g are high in salt. Foods with 0.3g of salt or less per 100g are low in salt.
If you're cooking your own meals, try seasoning with herbs as a healthier alternative to seasoning with salt.
Related External Links:
- Salt
Find out more about Salt and how much you should have in your diet.