Health campaigners have issued an urgent warning to those in the UK over 'salt tooth' as the health crisis sees thousands die earlier than they should.
This comes as many move away from a love of sweet things to items containing a dangerous amount of salt.
The health risks of salt are well-known with many opting to douse their salt-rich dinners in even more.
Regarding the growing health crisis, regular Radio 2 Jeremy Vine Show contributor, Dr Sarah Jarvis from Season With Sense, said: “When it comes to talking about what we eat and its impact on our health, sugar is regularly at the forefront of our minds. It may come as a surprise then, that it’s excess salt we really need to tackle.
She said that “new data paints a worrying picture about" much of the country's "relationship with salt" with "millions" of us "putting ourselves at increased risk of heart attack and stroke".
She added: “The good news is the power is in our hands to change that - and through small, simple changes like tracking our salt intake we can really get to grips with curbing a deadly hidden habit like the ‘salt tooth’.
What is the maximum salt I should be consuming each day?
According to the NHS, the amount of salt you should be consuming very much depends on your age.
Here is the maximum you should be consuming:
Babies
Babies should not consume much salt as their kidneys are not fully developed. Babies should have less than 1g of salt a day.
Children
- 1 to 3 years should eat no more than 2g salt a day (0.8g sodium)
- 4 to 6 years should eat no more than 3g salt a day (1.2g sodium)
- 7 to 10 years should eat no more than 5g salt a day (2g sodium)
- 11 years and over should eat no more than 6g salt a day (2.4g sodium)
Adults
Adults should consume no more than 6g of salt a day, around one teaspoon.
Tracking calories, sleep and exercise has become second nature thanks to apps like @nutracheck but not enough people are tracking their salt intake.
— Season with Sense by LoSalt (@seasonwithsense) May 16, 2023
The Nutracheck app makes it so easy to track your salt intake, give it a go.
Get the app: https://t.co/rrC5NTiUcU pic.twitter.com/OodMiM0Wkr
What are the long-term impacts of consuming too much salt?
Here are the long-term impacts of consuming too much salt:
Raised blood pressure
Researchers noted that those with salt-rich diets have significantly higher blood pressures.
Increased risk of stomach cancer
While the link between stomach cancer and salt is unclear, experts believe a salt-rich diet can make a person's stomach more vulnerable to cancer by causing ulcers and inflammation.
Increased risk of heart disease
While this link is still somewhat controversial, studies suggest high salt diets can cause blood pressure to rise, stiffening blood vessels and arteries, increasing the chance of premature death.
Season With Sense encourages Brits to consume less salt this Salt Awareness Week
Season With Sense is teaming up with nutrition tracking app Nutracheck to launch the 'Stick to 6 Challenge' where people consume the recommended 6g of salt per day.
This coincides with Salt Awareness Week which runs from May 15 to May 21.
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