HEALTH ADVICE. NOT MORE THAN 5 GRAMS OF SALT PER DAY.

The World Health Organisation recommends the general public to not consume more than 2 grams of sodium per day or more than 5 grams of salt or table salt.

The salt that is used to prepare our meals and the one that it is present in industrial foods should be included within the 5 grams (teaspoon) that we ingest daily.

There is also a chemical element called sodium that is part of the components present within common salt. This mineral participates in the regulation of blood pressure however, if taken excessively it can lead to it elevating

WHY DOES THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION RECOMMEND THAT PEOPLE SHOULD REDUCE THE INGESTION OF SODIUM?

According to the World Health Organisation, more than 30% of registered deaths worldwide are due to a cardiovascular pathology. Hypertension or high blood pressure is one of the most important risk factors that can trigger a heart attack or an ictus.

Sodium can be found in small quantities in a number of natural foods that we should not discount from our daily diet however, there are other foods that we should avoid if they have high levels of it. The foods that we should avoid include cured products, frozen foods, pickled foods, processed foods, salsas, salty snacks, etc.

The World Health Organisation concludes its recommendation by stating that all health services should aim to reduce the ingestion of sodium and increase the ingestion of potassium through eating foods rich in this mineral such as: avocados, spinach, bananas, oranges, nuts, wholemeal cereals, peppers, legumes, fish, etc. 

In conclusion, maintaining a healthy diet rich in meat, fish, milk, eggs, fruits and vegetables, etc. and low in added salt, will help us to maintain a normal blood pressure and in turn, will present cardiovascular diseases.