Sodium studies show benefits of cutting back; doctor says try substitutes

Cutting back on sodium can lead to big health benefits

Cutting back on sodium does not mean skipping the salt shaker, it also means reading labels and knowing what foods to avoid, as well.

FOX 2 - Some new studies tell us exactly how much we need to cut back on sodium to prevent all kinds of issues. 

Cutting back on salt can make a huge difference. 

The backstory:

Two studies are showing just what happens when food giants cut back on salt levels in store-bought foods.

Cutting back on sodium in packaged foods may prevent thousands of cases of heart disease, stroke and death. In France, they took some salt out of the baguettes, in the UK it was packaged foods.

And using a math model the researchers discovered the small unnoticeable changes resulted in  lowering blood pressure, preventing stroke and even death.

These new studies highlight just how much of our sodium intake comes with the food.

"Every patient that I talk with about sodium, the first thing they're going to tell me is, ‘Doc, I never add salt to my food.' But, it's important to understand that less than 5% of the sodium that we ingest, on average, is from the saltshaker," said Dr. Luke Laffin, Cleveland Clinic. "The majority of sodium is already in the food that we eat."

That's why we need to be reading food labels.

Laffin, a cardiologist, wasn't involved in the new research but points out why too much sodium causes your body to hang onto fluid, which makes it work harder.

That can raise blood pressure, which in turn can damage their blood vessels and force the heart to work harder. Too much sodium can also cause your body to retain fluid.

Laffin says it’s best to stick with a low-sodium diet. If you really need table salt, consider using an alternative instead.

"One misconception that often comes up is that different types of salt are healthier for you than others," he said. "Sea salt, table salt, Himalayan salt, you know, there's all kinds of different types of salt. They all raise blood pressure. They're all sodium, okay.

"What can be a little bit more beneficial are those salt substitutes, which is typically potassium chloride. Those can be found in pretty much any grocery store and can be a good alternative if someone really needs that taste."

American adults consume on average 3,500 milligrams of sodium daily, well above the aha-recommended limit of 2,300 mg,  the daily limit for those with high blood pressure is even lower at 1,500 mg.