There is little doubt that we all eat far too much salt and that our excessive salt consumption has negative effects on health. Studies in dozens of countries have found that adults generally consume the equivalent of more than a teaspoon of salt per day, and more than two teaspoons per day in some Asian countries. This is much more than is necessary to meet the body's sodium needs, the primary micronutrient derived from salt. WHO (World Health Organization) recommendations call for a maximum of 5 grams of salt per day for healthy individuals. People with high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, heart failure, and other illnesses should reduce their intake to 1.5 grams per day.
How and why to reduce salt consumption
Many experts believe that reducing salt consumption, aiming for a target of 1.5 grams of sodium per person per day, would improve health, save lives, and save billions of dollars annually in medical expenses. Skeptics say that reducing salt intake would disrupt the food industry but would have little impact on public health. Yet the majority of the salt we consume comes from processed foods from the food industry such as bread, crackers, chips, canned foods, frozen meals, breakfast cereals, cheese, and also includes restaurant foods.
Reducing our salt intake would bring about a huge change in how the food industry prepares its products, a challenge for food producers and a change that the salt industry is not eager to make. After all, salt is a cheap additive, a flavor enhancer that improves taste and makes bland food more appealing. It helps meat retain water and thus allows the food industry to artificially inflate the weight of processed dishes, which ultimately contain more water and salt than the same homemade recipe. Salt also makes us thirsty, and it's a way for the food industry to push us to buy more sodas and sugary drinks.
Many food companies have already shown that it is possible to make modest to significant reductions in sodium without sacrificing taste. But it remains to be seen whether all sectors of the food industry could voluntarily apply sodium reductions to their recipes without being required to do so by legislation. In the United States, a committee appointed by the Institute of Medicine recommended that the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) regulate the amount of salt in processed foods from the food industry. In France, in May 2015, charcuterie manufacturers pledged to reduce average salt and fat levels by 5% in twelve new charcuterie products. A good start that, to be effective, should be extended to other sectors of the food industry.