Dangers of excessive salt

DR MAXWELL ADEYEMI

Salt is a good source of sodium, an essential mineral for the body. But if a person consumes too much salt they may be at risk of certain health conditions.

Salt is present in a wide range of foods and drinks. It may occur naturally in certain foods, or manufacturers may add it during the production process.

Most table and sea salts contain around 40 per cent sodium. The amount of salt a person needs in their diet varies based on age and health levels. Many guidelines do not measure salt and instead suggest a value of sodium. But how much salt is too much?

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that an adult consumes no more than 2.3g of sodium per day, which is equivalent to 5.75g of salt. It adds that, ideally, no one should consume more than 1.5g of sodium, or 3.75g of salt, per day and that a person only requires roughly 0.5g of sodium per day for the body to function well.

It is also important to note that salt is not the only product that contains dietary sodium. This is why nutritional labels show sodium rather than just salt.

The World Health Organization highlights the risk of taking too much salt and suggests that an adult should consume less than two grammes of sodium per day, which is about five grammes of salt. The AHA adds that, on average, people generally consume more than 3.4g of sodium, or 8.5g of salt, per day, 70 per cent of which comes from pre-packaged, prepared, or restaurant foods.

But these are simply a guideline. Some people may require more salt in their diet. For example, a highly-active individual may need more salt to maintain fluid balance and prevent dehydration, as people lose salt when they sweat.

Importance of salt

Rather than salt itself, the body requires the nutrients that salt contains, such as sodium. Sodium has many uses in the human body, including:

• helping nerves and muscles work properly

• regulating water and fluid content

• regulating electrolyte balance

The are a number of factors and conditions that can lead to low sodium levels, among them, consuming too much water; severe vomiting or diarrhoea; kidney disorders; taking water pills or diuretics; underactive adrenal glands; a blockage of the small intestine; cirrhosis; where scar tissue forms on the liver; certain drugs such as opioids; an underactive thyroid gland; heart failure. A person who has too little sodium in their body may experience sluggishness, confusion, seizures, muscle twitching, unresponsiveness, coma or death.

You can reduce salt intake by:

- checking labels on pre-made and packaged foods and choosing products with lower sodium values

- choosing poultry products that manufacturers have not injected with a sodium solution

- looking for reduced- or low-sodium condiments

- picking canned vegetables with no added salt, or frozen vegetables without salty sauces

- using onion, garlic, herbs, spices, vinegar, or citrus juices in place of salt when cooking

- draining and rinsing canned beans and vegetables

- combining low-sodium foods with their regular sodium versions

- cooking pasta, rice, and oatmeal without salt

- grilling, braising, roasting, searing, and sautéing foods instead of adding salt to bring out natural flavours

Recognising food with high salt levels:

Packaged or prepared food will have a label to indicate how much sodium it contains per serving. These labels may also indicate the percentage of a person’s recommended intake of sodium they contain.

Poultry products with the terms broth, saline, or sodium solution on their labels are likely to contain excess salt. Products that are pickled, brined, cured, smoked, or are in a salty sauce may contain more significant amounts of salt.

Foods that are low in salt may include certain terms on their label, such as:

• sodium-free

• low, or very low, sodium

• reduced-sodium

• less sodium

• light in sodium

If a person prepares meals at home, they can measure the amount of salt they use in their cooking. For people with heart failure, kidney disease, or liver disease, regularly eating excessive amounts of salt may put them at further risk of health problems.

Short term complications of too much salt

A person who consumes too much salt may notice the following:

• Water retention. When a person eats too much salt, their kidneys hold on to water to maintain the body’s sodium-to-water ratio. Water retention can lead to swelling, puffiness, or weight gain.

• Increased blood pressure. A person who eats a salty meal may experience a rise in blood pressure. Water retention caused by high levels of salt leads to an increase in blood volume, increasing the pressure on the heart.

• Excess thirst. Typically, consuming salty foods may make a person thirsty.

Long term complications

A person who eats excessive amounts of salt may be at risk of enlarged heart muscles, headaches, heart attack, kidney disease, osteoporosis, stroke, heart failure, high blood pressure, kidney stones, stomach cancer.

Salt is present in many foods, so a person should be careful to choose foods low in salt and sodium. Reducing salt intake can help to improve a person’s heart health.

Contact Dr Maxwell on 363-1807