In 1994 the British government recommended that people reduce their consumption of salt from 9 grams per day to a maximum of 6 grams per day. Only in recent years have scientists begun to discover that excessive consumption of salt may be associated with serious health problems and that the government’s guidelines should be taken very seriously.

According to one report (1) in the British Medical Journal, people who consume high amounts of salt are at risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease. The recent INTERSALT study measured the salt intake of over 10,000 people in 32 countries and found that a difference of just 6 grams of salt per day was found to result in a difference of systolic blood pressure of 10mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure of 5mm Hg for a 55 year old male or female. These figures suggest that a extra 6 grams of salt consumed daily can increase in the risk of heart disease by 21 percent and stroke by 34 percent.

Other researchers (2) have found that excess salt in the diet can lead to excessive calcium loss and thereby increase the risk of osteoporosis.

Researchers from Leuven University in Holland reviewing the dietary habits of people from 24 different countries have discovered that a high intake of salt can significantly increase the risk of stomach cancer (3).