Health authorities recommend between 1, mg 1. In a review study comprising more than , people with and without high blood pressure from 49 countries across six continents, researchers examined how sodium intake affected the risk of heart disease and early death The review showed that — regardless of blood pressure — people who consumed less than 3, mg 3 grams of sodium per day were more likely to have heart disease or die compared to people who consumed 4,—5, mg 4—5 grams.
Still, researchers also found that people with high blood pressure who consumed more than 7 grams of sodium per day had a significantly greater risk of heart disease or death than people who consumed 4—5 grams.
In both people with high and normal blood pressure, consuming too little sodium has been shown to worsen health more than consuming too much. People with high blood pressure who consume more than 7 grams of sodium per day should certainly consume less. The same may apply if you have been instructed by your physician or registered dietitian to limit your sodium intake for medical reasons — as in the case of a low-sodium therapeutic diet.
Though health authorities continue to push for lower sodium intakes, reducing sodium too much — below 3 grams per day — may negatively impact health. Studies show that people who consume less than 3 grams of sodium per day are at a greater risk of heart disease and early death than people with an intake of 4—5 grams.
This raises concerns as to whether the current sodium guidelines — ranging from 1, mg 1. Achieving the low amounts of sodium that health authorities recommend can be difficult and may not be best for your health. There are more practical and effective ways to control your blood pressure and improve your health without having to focus solely on how much sodium you consume.
Exercise is associated with a myriad of health benefits — including lower blood pressure A combination of aerobic and resistance training is ideal, but even just walking can help bring your levels down 22 , 23 , 24 , If this duration is too much to achieve at once, break it into three minute blocks.
These foods contain important nutrients — like potassium and magnesium — that may lower blood pressure 26 , Vegetables like lettuce, beetroot, spinach and arugula are also good sources of nitrate, which increases your production of nitric oxide 28 , Nitric oxide relaxes your blood vessels and arteries, causing them to dilate and increase blood flow — ultimately lowering your blood pressure Sodium consumption is associated with calorie intake — the more calories you eat, the more sodium you consume SInce most people consume more calories than they need each day, simply cutting back on calories is the easiest way to reduce your sodium intake without much thought.
Eating fewer calories may also promote weight loss, which may lower your blood pressure as well 26 , 32 , 33 , In addition to several other health consequences, heavy alcohol intake is significantly associated with elevated blood pressure 26 , 35 , 36 , Women and men should limit their alcohol intake to one or two drinks per day, respectively.
If you exceed these recommendations, you may want to cut back There are more efficient and effective ways to lower your blood pressure than watching your sodium intake. These include exercise, eating more fruits and vegetables and cutting back on calories and alcohol. Health authorities recommend between 1. Yet, increasing evidence suggests that these guidelines may be too low.
To put this in perspective, 1 teaspoon of table salt is equal to about 2, mg of sodium and 3, mg of sodium is about 1. You may be asking yourself if any of this is really that important. The same scientific bodies that provide the above stated guidelines all agree that excess sodium consumption increases our risk of developing hypertension high blood pressure. In turn, this can lead to heart disease , heart failure, stroke and kidney disease.
There is also some evidence that consuming high levels of sodium increase your risk for osteoporosis by leaching calcium from your bones. Where is all this sodium coming from? Sodium is naturally found in many foods and by following a healthy eating pattern, most adults will get all the sodium they require. We need to watch the salt we add at home, the salt added in restaurant meals and the salt added as part of the food manufacturing process.
The biggest culprit to our high sodium intake is processed foods. For example, breads, processed meats, snack foods and canned goods all contain added sodium. We could list the sodium content of foods here and provide more data and numbers to see if that will inspire you to change your eating.
Looking for more individual advice? Reach out to a qualified Registered Dietitian who can assess your current eating pattern and provide customized guidance and support. The following foods are almost always high in salt. To cut down on salt, eat them less often and have smaller amounts:. That means you can cut down on salt by comparing brands and choosing the one that is lower in salt. 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.
Why 5 A Day? What counts? Fat: the facts Salt: the facts Sugar: the facts Top sources of added sugar What does calories look like?
0コメント