Too much or too little salt? Here's the sweet spot.
Urinary sodium and potassium excretion, mortality, and cardiovascular events.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Eating less than 3g of sodium per day increased risk of death by 27%—more than the 15% increase from eating over 7g.
For decades, public health advice has screamed 'Reduce salt!'—but this massive global study shows the real danger might be in extreme restriction, not excess.
Practical Takeaways
Aim for 3–6g sodium daily (about 1.5–2.5 tsp salt) and eat at least one potassium-rich food per meal (e.g., banana, sweet potato, spinach).
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Eating less than 3g of sodium per day increased risk of death by 27%—more than the 15% increase from eating over 7g.
For decades, public health advice has screamed 'Reduce salt!'—but this massive global study shows the real danger might be in extreme restriction, not excess.
Practical Takeaways
Aim for 3–6g sodium daily (about 1.5–2.5 tsp salt) and eat at least one potassium-rich food per meal (e.g., banana, sweet potato, spinach).
Publication
Journal
The New England journal of medicine
Year
2014
Authors
M. O’Donnell, A. Mente, S. Rangarajan, M. McQueen, Xingyu Wang, Li-sheng Liu, Hou Yan, S. Lee, P. Mony, A. Devanath, A. Rosengren, P. López-Jaramillo, R. Diaz, Á. Avezum, F. Lanas, K. Yusoff, R. Iqbal, R. Ilow, N. Mohammadifard, S. Gulec, A. Yusufali, Lanthé Kruger, R. Yusuf, J. Chifamba, C. Kabali, G. Dagenais, S. Lear, K. Teo, S. Yusuf
Related Content
Claims (6)
People who eat about 3 to 6 grams of salt per day seem to have fewer heart problems and live longer than those who eat much less or much more salt — it’s like there’s a sweet spot for salt intake.
Eating a lot of salt—more than 7 grams a day—might make people with high blood pressure more likely to have a heart attack, stroke, or even die sooner.
People who excrete more than 1.5 grams of potassium per day are less likely to die or have serious heart problems than those who excrete less, no matter how much salt they eat.
People who eat very little salt—less than 3 grams a day—are more likely to die or have serious heart problems, even when you account for their blood pressure and other health factors.
Eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure and hurt your heart, but eating too little salt might still be bad for your heart—even if your blood pressure doesn’t change.