Cooking salt has become an indispensable seasoning for cooking. Salt has a familiar taste to every person, without which food seems fresh. However, the use of a large amount of salt significantly increases the risk of both stroke and cardiovascular disease, according to scientists.

The link between taking high amounts of salt and high blood pressure is established. There is an opinion that a general decrease in the level of salt intake in food can potentially reduce the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. The World Health Organization recommends eating no more than 5 grams of salt per day (about one teaspoon), but the average dose of most Westerners is 10 grams per day. And in Eastern Europe this indicator is even higher.

Scientists analyzed the results of thirteen published studies, which involved more than 170 thousand people. All these works were focused on the relationship between the level of daily intake of salt and the risk of stroke or the development of cardiovascular diseases. The analysis unequivocally showed that a difference of 5 grams of daily salt intake by 23% increases the chance to suffer from a stroke and by 17% - to develop other cardiovascular diseases.

The researchers concluded that reducing the daily intake of salt by 5 grams at the population level of the whole country can prevent a quarter of a million deaths from strokes. And also nearly three million deaths from cardiovascular diseases annually. Moreover, because of the error in the calculation of salt intake, most likely, the size of the effect of giving up 5 grams of salt is understated. The results of the study confirm the role of universal reduction of salt intake in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Medicinform. Net.