Salt

There's a place for salt in a healthy eating plan, but most of us consume two or even three times the recommended amount, often without even realizing it. We need small amounts of salt for healthy functioning, such as maintaining a proper fluid balance in the body.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation suggests that Canadians use no more than 1 tsp (5 mL) of salt a day (2,300 mg), whether it comes from the salt you shake on your food or the salt in processed and packaged foods.

The blood pressure connection

About one-third of people are sensitive to the sodium component of salt. This means that excess dietary salt can increase the amount of blood in the arteries, raising blood pressure and increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

If you can lower your intake little by little each day, you can reduce blood pressure. Because our diets are generally so high in salt, everybody – even those with normal blood pressure – can benefit from reducing salt intake.

Foods with high salt content

About 80% of the salt we consume comes from processed foods, including fast foods, prepared meals, processed meats such as hot dogs and lunchmeats, canned soups, bottled dressings, packaged sauces, condiments such as ketchup and pickles, and salty snacks like potato chips.

Steps you can take to lower salt intake

Check the Nutrition Facts table on food products for sodium or salt. If the daily value of sodium listed in the table is 10% or less, the product is considered low in salt.

To help reduce added, unnecessary salt:

• Cut down on prepared and processed foods.
• Eat more fresh vegetables and fruit.
• Reduce the amount of salt you add while cooking, baking or at the table. 
• Experiment with other seasonings, such as garlic, lemon juice and fresh or dried herbs.
• Avoid using commercially softened water for drinking or cooking.
• Look for the Health Check™ symbol on foods. Health Check is the Heart and Stroke Foundation's food information program, based on Canada's Food Guide.