Table of Contents
Do healthy people need to worry about sodium?
Health authorities recommend between 1.5 and 2.3 grams of sodium per day. Yet, increasing evidence suggests that these guidelines may be too low. People with high blood pressure should not exceed 7 grams per day, but if you’re healthy, the amount of salt you’re currently consuming is likely safe.
What happens when you restrict salt?
In severe cases, low sodium levels in the body can lead to muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting and dizziness. Eventually, lack of salt can lead to shock, coma and death. Severe salt loss is very unlikely to happen because our diets contain more than enough salt.
How much sodium per day is healthy?
However, most Americans eat too much of it—and they may not even know it. Americans eat on average about 3,400 mg of sodium per day. However, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends adults limit sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day—that’s equal to about 1 teaspoon of table salt!
What are the benefits of reducing salt intake?
Salt intake of less than 5 grams per day for adults helps to reduce blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and coronary heart attack. The principal benefit of lowering salt intake is a corresponding reduction in high blood pressure.
Why is sodium bad for you?
The body needs a small amount of sodium to function, but most Americans consume too much sodium. High sodium consumption can raise blood pressure, and high blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
Is low-sodium intake bad?
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.