Could you be eating too little salt?

The latest research on salt intake leaves unclear whether we should all be eating more salt, at least more than the teaspoon a day—2.3 grams—that has been recommended by the American Heart Association, the American Medical Association and many doctors.

The common view is that low salt intake controls blood pressure and reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke.  But the Institute of Medicine (IOM) reports that there is not enough evidence to support this view.  If your salt intake is less than a teaspoon a day, there is little data on the benefit and some data to suggest it can be harmful to some subpopulations.

The researchers at the Institute of Medicine do not specify what the appropriate level of salt intake should be, only that two new studies show some adverse health effects from too little salt intake—below the teaspoon a day.   But, the studies are limited in scope.  And, the IOM researchers see a need for more research on this topic.Read more about this from the National Library of Medicine here and in the New York Times here.