Sodium is essential for cell function as it maintains the electrolyte balance in the body, which regulates the flow of fluids such as water and blood. Sodium depletion is usually associated with dehydration. British's Institute of Food Research indicated that active people can lose up to eight litres of sweat a day and since sweat contains 0.5 g to 1.9 g of sodium per litre, failure to replenish the salt in the body can have harmful effects such as cramps, heatstroke and dehydration.



Sodium is the major component (about 40%) of salt (sodium chloride). The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends one teaspoon (5g) of salt or less a day. Nevertheless, research showed that intake of salt for people living in developed countries is 10 - 12 g a day which is 100% or more than the recommended one. Consuming too much salt is definitely not healthy for our health as it may lead to high blood pressure which is one of the risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

Professor Graham MacGregor, an expert in salt and hypertension research, described salt as a "long-term toxin that slowly pushes up our blood pressure as we get older." But why did he say that?

As salt intake increases, more fluid is retained in the bodies. That extra fluid is partly in the blood volume which can slowly push up your blood pressure as you grow older. This is a very slow process. Based on the prevailing rate of salt intake, Professor MacGregor predicted that an average 20-year-old person will have an almost guaranteed chance of getting high blood pressure by the time he or she reaches 50. Average blood pressure is expected to hike by about 6 mmHg over a 10-year period. For 30 years, it will be 18 mmHg (6 x 3). If the starting systolic pressure is 120 mmHg when you are 20 years old, then your blood pressure will be 138 mmHg by the time you are 50.

Stroke has a clear response to salt. Research had shown that a 1 g reduction will give you a one-sixth reduction in chance of getting strokes; 2 g will give you a third and 3 g a half. Therefore, it is clear that even a small reduction will have a great impact.

So, start reducing your salt intake from TODAY if you don't want to get heart disease or stroke.