Health trends: Cut back on salt

If you are eating more than a pinch of salt (about a teaspoonful) each day, you are eating too much. That pinch of salt (sodium chloride) contains about 2,300mg of sodium. Most adults on low-sodium diets really need no more than 1,500mg per day.

True, sodium plays an important role in the body-fluid balance, muscle strength, nerved function - but, like most things in life, too much of a good thing spells trouble. Excess sodium intake is a known risk factor for high blood pressure. And, high blood pressure is the leading risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

Understand just how much sodium is in salt so you can take measures to control your intake:

¹/⁴ teaspoon salt = 600mg sodium

¹/²teaspoon salt = 1,200mg sodium

³/⁴ teaspoon salt = 1,800mg sodium

1 teaspoon salt = 2,300mg sodium

There are many hidden sources of sodium, some of them even healthy foods such as bottled vegetable juices, canned vegetables and easy-to-prepare cup soups and porridges, Read the labels and get in the habit of rinsing canned vegetables for about one minute under the tap.

Source: Heart Foundation of Jamaica