Salt Is This Year’s Sugar You Guys – Here’s How Much You Should Be Eating

Food science, like all science, is constantly evolving. Where once low fat was the goal, which caused food manufacturers to turn to sugar to help make up for the lower perceived taste in low fat food, now salt is coming into the critical spotlight. And the health news is, surprise, excessive salt is very bad for health.

The human body does need some amount of sodium to maintain normal function, but the modern diet holds far too much processed salt in thanks to how today’s foods are processed, packaged, and served. From the grocery store shelf to the restaurant plate, the convenience store to home kitchens, an excess of salt is found in nearly everything most people eat.

Naturally occurring sodium is an electrolyte that is key in nerve cell function and for maintaining the fluid levels inside our cells. Before processing, sodium is a mineral that appears in most foodstuffs without being added. And just like the other essential nutrients, humans need some regularly; about five hundred milligrams on a daily basis.

Salt, however, is a combination of sodium and chloride. Because salt is a flavor enhancer, people tend to eat far too much of it, and most Americans get more than six times as much as they actually need.

With food manufacturing being what it is, the best way to limit sodium consumption is to get into the habit of cooking and baking your own foods. That lets you control what goes into it, from the kitchen to your body.