Since the bulk of our salt is already in food when we buy it, the main issue on the table is lowering the amount of sodium in grocery-store and restaurant food. But for the food industry, the challenge is far from simple.
The Globe and Mail June 24, 2009
The link between ethnicity and high blood pressure is well known, but until now, researchers have been unable to pinpoint the cause. Now, researchers at the University of Ottawa’s Heart Institute have launched an ambitious, multi-million-dollar, three-year study to uncover the genetic determinations of salt sensitivity. Their success could revolutionize the treatment and prevention of hypertension.
The Globe and Mail June 23, 2009
Full Story
We think of hypertension and the accompanying risk of heart attack as a problem of middle age or obesity. So how did this slim Quebec teen get high blood pressure? The health dangers that stalk growing numbers of Canadian children begin with extreme levels of salt in our food – a lot of it in places you don’t suspect.
The Globe and Mail June 22, 2009
Full Story
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/special-reports/hard-to-shake/under-pressure/article1188881/
Nearly 1 in 3 adult Americans has high blood pressure—defined as 140/90 mmHg or higher—and about 37% have pre-hypertension, which is defined as 120-139/80-89 mmHg. High blood pressure is dangerous because it makes the heart work too hard and increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases like heart disease and stroke, the first- and third-leading causes of death nationwide.
National Institutes for Health January 26, 2009
Full Story
http://www.nih.gov/news/research_matters/january2009/01262009hypertension.htm
In the next few years, Unilever is going to undertake a worldwide effort to reduce the salt content of almost its entire food portfolio, covering 22,000 products.
Unilever’s aim is to reduce the salt content of its products by the end of 2010 to help people reach the daily recommended dietary intake of 6 grams salt per person. A further reduction would even make it possible to limit salt intake to 5 grams per person by the end of 2015.
This is in line with World Health Organisation guidelines. Unilever is the first food company that sets worldwide goals for salt reduction across its entire product range. These targets were announced today by Gaby Vreeken, Vice President Marketing of Unilever Benelux, at a press conference in the Unilever Research & Development Centre in Vlaardingen.
“Promoting a lower salt intake fits in with Unilever’s Vitality mission. It is an ambitious plan, but it can be done and really must be done. The challenge lies in achieving these results without compromising on flavour, quality and shelf life of our products. Approximately 75% of total salt intake comes from processed foods such as bread, cheese, meat, sauces and soups. Consumers will be more likely to adapt their taste preference to lower levels of salt if the food industry as a whole reduces salt levels”, says Vreeken.
Unilever NV April 21, 2009
Full Story
http://www.flex-news-food.com/pages/23310/Salt/Unilever/unilever-sets-worldwide-goals-salt-reduction.html#
CHICAGO – People in the United States consume more than twice the recommended amount of salt, raising their risk for high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes, government health experts said on Thursday.
They found nearly 70 percent of U.S. adults are in high-risk groups that would benefit from a lower-salt diet of no more than 1,500 mg per day, yet most consume closer to 3,500 mg per day.
“It’s important for people to eat less salt. People who adopt a heart-healthy eating pattern that includes a diet low in sodium and rich in potassium and calcium can improve their blood pressure,” Dr. Darwin Labarthe of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement.
“People need to know their recommended daily sodium limit and take action to reduce sodium intake,” Labarthe said.
The study in CDC’s weekly report on death and disease used national survey data to show that two out of three adults should be consuming no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day because they are black or over the age of 40 — which are considered high-riskgroups.
Reuters, March 26, 2009
Full Story
“Rates of hypertension (high blood pressure) are rising and affect more than 25 percent of Americans; another 25 percent or so is considered ‘pre-hypertensive’ and will develop hypertension if they keep eating the way they do.”
SF Chronicle, December 17, 2008
Full Story:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/16/FDM914LKFN.DTL
“Salt ‘is the single most harmful element in the food supply, even worse than saturated fat and trans fat, or food additives and pesticides,’ says Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Science in the Public Interest.”
USA Today, February 10, 2008
Full Story:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-02-10-salt-dangers_N.htm
“So why is magnesium so important? It plays a big part in keeping the heart healthy, making sure bones are strong and helping the body absorb other important minerals such as calcium and potassium.”
About.com
Full Story: http://thyroid.about.com/b/2005/05/26/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-benefits-of-magnesium.htm
… “Nutritionist Patrick Holford goes one step further. He claims that high-sodium table salt has more to account for than just high blood pressure and heart disease and can actually create mineral imbalances that lead to health problems. “Minerals work together and need to be balanced,” he explains. “For example, potassium and magnesium works with sodium to regulate water balance and nerve and muscle impulses. The more sodium you eat, the more potassium and magnesium you need. Few of us eat enough of these, yet we eat high amounts of sodium in salt. This leads to potassium and magnesium deficiency, where muscles become tight, nerves become over stimulated and you feel more anxious.”
As magnesium is involved in maintaining bone density and hormone balance, low levels may compromise bone strength and lead to premenstrual problems. That’s where swapping table salt for mineral-rich salt can make a difference. “
