Easy Ways to Cut Back on Salt

Too much salt in the diet is a bad thing -- or is it?

Most of us have long heard that it's best to go easy on the salt shaker. But a recent study has confused the issue somewhat.

But, experts say, it's important to keep in mind that this is just one study, compared with scores of others that have found health benefits to avoiding a high-sodium diet.

According to the American Heart Association, 1,500 milligrams of sodium is the ideal daily goal for African-Americans, middle- and older-aged Americans, and people with high blood pressure. The rest should aim for less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day -- the equivalent of about 1 teaspoon of salt.

The Salt Connection

New research shows that a high-salt diet may have a negative effect on our bodies' levels of vitamin D -- a vitamin considered important to many aspects of health.

Older women who had high blood pressure caused by salt were found to have lower concentrations of a certain marker of vitamin D than women with normal blood pressure, Myrtle Thierry-Palmer, PhD, a biochemistry professor at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, tells ishonest.

There is also some evidence that a high-sodium intake increases calcium losses in the urine -- which is bad news for bone density. Too much sodium may also contribute to the development of kidney stones.

And what about heart disease? Research has shown a connection between high-salt intake and an increase in blood pressure in certain people who are considered "salt sensitive."

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. That's important information for the nearly one in three American adults who have high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).

Are You Salt-Sensitive?

The reason salt-sensitive people's blood pressure responds strongly to salt intake is through sodium's effect on blood volume. When you eat more salt, your blood pressure tends to rise and when you eat less salt, your blood pressure lowers.

What portion of the population is salt-sensitive? Some researchers have estimated that about a quarter of the American population with normal blood pressure is salt-sensitive, while about half of the people with high blood pressure seem to be salt-sensitive. The black population has demonstrated a greater susceptibility to salt sensitivity than the white population, adds Thierry-Palmer.

5 Steps to Less Salt

1. Pass Up Processed Foods

The Food Standards Agency of the United Kingdom estimates that 75% of salt intake comes from processed food. Some food companies are developing products with less sodium, so keep an eye out for sodium listed on food labels. Only small amounts of sodium occur naturally in foods, eating mostly natural, whole foods will help keep levels of sodium down.

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