Report: Reduce Salt Intake to Lower Blood Pressure
3rd Oct 2005, 21:50 GMT
A new report by Britain's Medical Research Council (MRC) says that cutting salt consumption from the average 9.5 to 6 grams a day could result in a 13 percent reduction in stroke and a 10 percent decrease in heart disease. Six grams per day translates to about one heaping t teaspoon. Salt is composed of 40 percent sodium and 60 percent chloride. While people do need sodium because it regulates water in the body and acts as a message coordinating system by carrying electrical charges, about 1 gram a day is enough to carry out those functions. Too much salt raises blood pressure, a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which is one of the world's leading killers. Salt increases blood pressure because sodium makes the body retain more water and the extra water in the blood vessels creates more pressure. The MRC report is urging the food industry to reduce the salt content in their products. It also wants consumers to cut down on how much salt they use in cooking and on foods. Read Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
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