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How Much Sodium (Salt) Per Day Do You Need | Nutritionist Explains | Myprotein
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Jan 30, 2025
Expert dietitian explains why we need salt and how much we should intake daily. Salt is a common ingredient that we use in cooking, in food production and is still used as a preservative for food, as it has been for centuries. Salt is actually needed in our diet but evidence suggests that it’s not something that many of us are deficient in, with the average adult in England consuming over 40% more than the recommended intake. In this video, Elle Kelly, registered dietitian (and fellow lover of salty chips) takes a look at what salt is, why we do need it and why it’s also important that we aim to stick to the recommended guidelines. First up, let us settle a common query. What is the difference between salt and sodium? *** Chapters: 00:00 - Salt 00:37 - Salt VS sodium 01:13 - Why do we need sodium 02:44 - Negative side effects of sodium 04:14 - Processed foods 04:47 - Foods high in sodium 05:51 - Any more salt questions? *********************************
View Video Transcript
0:00
what's the deal with salt salt is a
0:02
common ingredient that we use in cooking
0:04
in food production and is still used as
0:06
a preservative for food as it has been
0:08
for centuries salt is actually needed in
0:10
our diet but evidence suggests that it's
0:12
not something many of us are deficient
0:13
in with the average adults in the UK
0:15
consuming over 40 percent more than the
0:18
recommended intake
0:21
[Music]
0:23
my name is Elle and I'm a registered
0:25
dietitian and fellow lover of salty
0:27
chips in this video we're going to take
0:29
a look at what salt is why we need it
0:32
but also why it's important that we aim
0:34
to stick to the recommended guidelines
0:35
first up let's settle a common query
0:38
what is the difference between salts and
0:40
sodium salt is what we have on our
0:41
shakers on the table and is chemically
0:43
made up of two elements sodium and
0:45
chloride so sodium is the dietary
0:47
mineral and is one of the chemicals
0:49
found in salt sodium is found naturally
0:52
in some foods like vegetables meat and
0:53
dairy products and seafood sodium is
0:56
also added to foods during manufacturing
0:58
either to enhance taste or as a
1:00
preservative when we read labels
1:02
manufacturers May list sodium content
1:04
rather than salt content so it is
1:06
important to know that each one gram of
1:08
sodium equates to 2.5 grams of salt now
1:11
that we have that cleared why do we need
1:13
sodium sodium is an important mineral
1:15
for supporting our bodies functioning
1:17
sodium helps the body to maintain an
1:19
optimal balance of fluid and also plays
1:22
a key role in nerve and muscle function
1:24
sodium is particularly important for
1:26
those who are active because sodium
1:27
alongside other electrolytes can be lost
1:29
through sweat sodium plays a key role in
1:32
maintaining hydration levels as it helps
1:34
to deliver water to the body cells which
1:36
is crucial to minimize dehydration
1:37
during periods of activity this means
1:39
that diets low in sodium can increase
1:41
the risk of dehydration but sodium also
1:44
plays a vital role in the rehydration
1:45
process drinking water alone can cause a
1:48
rapid fall in plasma sodium
1:49
concentration and decreases aldosterone
1:52
and vasopressin production all of which
1:54
increase urine output the addition of
1:56
sodium to ingested fluids maintains
1:58
vasopressin levels and prevents this
2:00
genetic effect which is one of the
2:02
reasons why sodium is almost always
2:03
found in sports drinks regardless of
2:05
whether you're an athlete or not
2:07
excessive sweating or even periods of
2:09
vomiting and diarrhea can lead to low
2:11
sodium levels in the body if we are
2:13
replacing fluid but not sodium taking an
2:16
electrolyte supplement can be beneficial
2:17
following periods of being ill or
2:19
exercising in addition to maintaining
2:21
hydration levels sodium also helps with
2:23
nerve and muscle function sodium plays a
2:26
role in nerve impulse transmission which
2:28
is essential for the communication
2:29
between nerves and muscles when sodium
2:32
levels fall too low this can result in
2:34
muscle cramps and may impair performance
2:36
some Studies have highlighted that
2:37
muscle cramps are more common in those
2:39
who lose more sodium or have higher
2:42
sweat rates although the research in
2:44
this area is limited while sodium is an
2:46
important part of our diet particularly
2:48
for those who are active consuming too
2:50
much of it can have negative impacts on
2:52
our health one of the biggest
2:53
complications that can occur from having
2:55
too much sodium in our diet is high
2:57
blood pressure which is also known as
2:58
hypertension when we consume too much
3:01
sodium our body will retain water to try
3:03
and balance the sodium levels within our
3:05
bloodstream this increase in blood
3:07
volume can put a strain on our heart and
3:09
on our blood vessels over time the extra
3:11
work and pressure can stiffen blood
3:13
vessels leading to high blood pressure
3:15
which increases the risk of heart attack
3:17
and stroke high blood pressure is
3:19
considered the leading cause of
3:20
cardiovascular disease with it
3:22
accounting for two-thirds of all strokes
3:23
and half of heart disease high blood
3:26
pressure is also a common cause of
3:28
chronic kidney disease or CKD a diet
3:30
high in sodium can also increase the
3:32
risk of kidney stones as it increases
3:34
the amount of calcium lost in urine
3:36
which can cause kidney stones to develop
3:38
there is also emerging evidence that
3:40
high levels of sodium may be linked to
3:41
stomach cancer known as gastric cancer
3:43
several studies have found a link
3:45
between high sodium diets and risk of
3:47
stomach cancer the reasons for this are
3:50
not clear though and more research is
3:52
needed remember Association does not
3:54
mean causation so we know that there are
3:57
risks associated with a high sodium diet
3:59
and I know you might be thinking but I
4:01
don't add very much salt to my food but
4:04
even without you adding salt to your
4:05
foods you could still have a high sodium
4:08
intake because a lot of the sodium that
4:09
we consume comes from processed foods
4:11
even the ones that might not even taste
4:13
salty processed foods get a bad rap and
4:16
the word processed foods might make you
4:17
think of deli meats pastries and ready
4:19
meals but most of the food that we eat
4:22
is processed to some degree bread
4:24
breakfast cereals cheese and even frozen
4:26
vegetables are considered processed
4:27
foods some of the most nutritious foods
4:29
have been processed in some form and
4:31
it's important that we don't go labeling
4:33
these Foods as bad or cutting them out
4:34
of our diet entirely however it can be
4:37
helpful to be aware of what foods are
4:38
typically higher in sodium and if your
4:40
diet is high in these simple swaps like
4:43
choosing a lower sodium option or an
4:45
unsalted version can help to lower your
4:47
intake of sodium foods traditionally
4:48
high in sodium include smoked or cured
4:51
fish and meats like chorizo bacon and
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ham Savory snacks like crisps popcorn
4:56
and nuts cheese and sauces like ketchup
4:59
and soy sauce
5:00
salt can act as a preservative and so
5:03
things which have a longer shelf life
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like canned legumes or vegetables tinned
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soup and sauces in a jar typically have
5:10
a higher sodium level six grams of salt
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per day which equates to 2.4 grams of
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sodium is the recommended limit for
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anyone over 11 years old but national
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food surveys show that most of us exceed
5:21
this making things from scratch at home
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is one way to reduce our sodium intake
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although this isn't always feasible for
5:27
so many reasons however you can flavor
5:30
your foods at home using herbs and
5:31
spices instead of adding salt I get it
5:34
though the idea of my homemade chips not
5:36
being quite as salty as I like doesn't
5:38
sit quite well with me this is one of
5:40
the biggest barriers to reducing our
5:42
salt intake things just don't taste
5:44
quite the same but what is interesting
5:46
to know is that our taste buds do adapt
5:48
over time and the preference for salty
5:50
foods can decrease as always if you have
5:52
any questions be sure to leave them in
5:54
the comments below and be sure to
5:56
subscribe to the my protein YouTube
5:57
channel for more great evidence-based
5:59
nutrition information
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