Healthy living
Healthy eating
Do not pass the salt
Cutting down the amount of salt you eat could lower your risk of developing heart disease by as much as a quarter
The US study in the online British Medical Journal also found that people who maintained a low-salt diet for a decade or more had a 20 per cent lower chance of dying from cardiovascular disease than those who continued to eat salt freely.
The study, which involved over 2,300 people, is the first of its kind to assess the long-term effects of low salt intake on heart health and provides unique evidence that lowering dietary salt levels may prevent cardiovascular problems.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School followed up subjects from two trials carried out in the nineties which had looked at the effect of salt intake on blood pressure. The volunteers, who were all showing signs of developing hypertension, were asked to reduce their salt intake by 25-35 percent. A control group of those who did not cut back on salt was set up as a comparison.
The Harvard team re-examined the subjects from these earlier trials and discovered that those who had cut back on salt for the study had tended to stick to the low-salt diet, while those in the control group had not. The researchers found that there was a substantial reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease in those who had reduced their salt intake.
Most people in the UK still consume too much salt. The recommended daily allowance is 6 grams, about a teaspoon, but the average adult eats around 9 grams a day. Research has found that cutting back to the recommended level could prevent 70,000 strokes and heart attacks a year.
Too much salt puts extra strain on the kidneys and leads to a build up of fluids in the body. The heart is forced to pump more blood through vessels, leading eventually to high blood pressure.
Top tips for cutting back on salt
- Stick to the recommended 6 grams a day. If the label says 'sodium', multiply the given number by 2.5 to work out how much salt that is.
- Flavour foods with herbs and spices instead of salt.
- Ditch salty snacks like crisps and salted peanuts.
- Switch to unsalted or low salt food options like unsalted butter.
- Processed foods like bread, tinned soup, baked beans and sauces are big offenders - always check the label.
More information: British Heart Foundation. www.bhf.org.uk Heart Information Line: 08450 70 80 70
Information on this site is for interest only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult your own doctor about any specific health concerns.
