We all eat a level of salt in our diets .
However, many of us may not be aware of the effect excess salt has on our health .
Excess salt has been related to high blood pressure as well as stomach cancer .
Moreover, salt can aggravate asthma and osteoporosis. Lowering your salt intake can decrease blood pressure and reduce the likelihood of heart disease .
We all need some salt on a daily basis, yet most of us eat more salt than we need to. Adults need 6g a day, with children needing between 2-6g. Furthermore, babies’ kidneys are affected by too much salt.
Salt is necessary in our diet for control of the amount of water our bodies contain, maintaining the normal pH level of the blood, giving out nerve signals and enabling effective functioning of the muscles.
It is best to cook your own food so you can limit the amount of salt in your diet. In terms of foods, 1.25g salt is high, whereas, 0.25g salt is fine.