Salted wars: scientists recommend using a teaspoon of salt a day
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Doctors for years have warned that excessive salt intake increases the risk of developing hypertension and other heart problems, but recent studies disprove these hypotheses.
Despite the scientists' claims that a decrease in salt intake reduces blood pressure, a large survey of studies has shown that a reduction in salt intake will negatively affect the overall health of a person.
A recent study by scientists from the University of McMaster in Canada showed that people who consumed a moderate amount of salt had the lowest risk of developing heart disease, and people who adhered to a high-salt diet had an increased risk of developing a stroke, heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases .
At the same time, people who eat foods that are low in salt have a higher risk of dying from heart disease and an increased risk of hospitalization for heart failure, the researchers write in the journal of the American Medical Association.
"Our findings underscore the importance of reducing salt intake and the need to reduce sodium content in processed foods high in salt," said Dr. Salim Yusuf from McMaster.
"However, the usefulness of reducing salt in the diet remains open," he said.
The best way to answer this question is to conduct a major clinical trial, scientists say.
A teaspoon of salt
During the study, the researchers analyzed the levels of sodium and potassium in the morning urine samples taken from 30,000 people in two clinical trials.
Approximately four years later, 16% of the participants in the study had heart problems. Then, scientists tried to find a link between salt intake and the risk of developing heart disease.
The results of the study showed that excessive intake of salt (more than 8 grams of sodium per day) adversely affected the health of the heart. A low level of salt intake (less than 3 grams of sodium per day) leads to an increased risk of mortality from cardiovascular diseases and hospitalizations for heart failure.
Researchers recommend consuming less than 2.3 grams of sodium daily, or 1.5 grams for people who have a high risk of developing hypertension or heart disease.
A teaspoon of salt, or about 5 grams, contains about 2.3 grams of sodium.
Scientists note that the results of the study should be treated with caution, since the study is based on a single morning urine sample.
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