Don't pass the salt! Study claims too much sodium linked to early death

According to a study published in the European Heart Journal, people who add extra salt to their food are at a higher risk of dying prematurely compared to those who never or rarely add salt.

For the study, researchers examined more than 5,00,000 middle-aged participants over 9 years. Almost 18,500 premature deaths were recorded after the data was collected between 2006 and 2010.

The findings suggest that people who add extra salt to their food have a 28 per cent increased risk of dying prematurely. Sprinkling salt on meals knocks more than two years off life expectancy so people should consider avoiding seasoning their food, study authors concluded.

As per the World Health Organisation (WHO), high sodium consumption contributes to high blood pressure and increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Salt intake of less than 5 grams per day is recommended for adults as it reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Also watch: Your brain on salt: here’s how salty snacks affect your cognition