Hypertension
CANADA
Salt and Sodium:
Get the Facts
Salt and sodium - What’s the difference?
• Salt is an ingredient we add to our food. We use it
in the form of table salt, sea salt and in some
seasonings.
• Sodium is one of the mineral nutrients. Sodium is
found mainly in salt but it is also part of some food
additives, such as MSG.
• We can find out the total amount of sodium in our
foods by checking the Nutrition Facts label.
(See page 2)
Too much sodium in your diet can lead to high
blood pressure
• One of five Canadians have high blood pressure.
• High blood pressure may raise your risk of heart
attack, heart failure, stroke and kidney disease.
• If you have high blood pressure, you may be able
to lower it by cutting back on sodium.
• A healthy, low-sodium diet will also help your blood
pressure medications work better.
How much sodium do you need each day?
• Adults should consume between 1,200 – 1,500
milligrams (mg) each day, depending on your age.
Note: 1/2 tsp of salt has about 1,150 mg of sodium.
• Most Canadians eat almost double the
recommended amount of sodium each day.
Too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure.
80%
90%
100%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
77%
12%
11%
Sodium in our diet
Eating healthy foods with less sodium will
help lower blood pressure and will help
prevent high blood pressure
A healthy, low-sodium diet includes:
• lots of vegetables and fruits
• low-fat milk products or alternatives
• whole grains
• lean meats, fish, legumes (beans) and nuts
Where does the sodium in your diet come from?
1. Most of the sodium in your diet comes from
processed foods and restaurant or take-out meals.
- Breads, breakfast cereals, crackers, sweets
and bakery products can contain high levels of
sodium even though they may not taste salty.
2. Small amounts of sodium also occur naturally in
healthy, unprocessed foods.
3.
Another source of sodium is the salt and seasonings
added during cooking and when you eat.
- All types of salt are high in sodium, including
Kosher salt, sea salt, fleur de sel, gourmet salt
and smoked salt. They are not healthier choices.
CHEP
Canadian Hypertension Education Program