IndexIs it healthy to add salt to your dietJUMPHow does salt affect heart health?Low salt intakeHigh salt intakeSalty foodIdeal salt intakeIs it healthy to add salt to your dietEveryone loves cravings of tasty things food. These foods satisfy our taste buds leaving traces of different tastes such as salty, bitter, sour, sweet, spicy and astringent. But it all comes down to a healthy diet. Salt has become an essential element in our daily diet. Although it is considered indispensable, yet there are few research facts conducted by various healthcare organizations that can give you a nightmare. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Excessive salt intake can sabotage the heart system causing a variety of health problems including very high blood pressure and other heart diseases. Despite decades of research, all we managed to achieve was a stalemate between underuse and overuse of salt. Let's take a look at adding salt into our daily diet. SALTS Sodium chloride or salt contains 40% sodium and 60% chloride by weight. The essential minerals available in salt act as one of the important electrolytes in our body helping to balance fluids, nerve transmission and muscle function. Salt is used to flavor food but, interestingly, it is also found naturally in most foods. It was used a millennium ago to preserve food by stopping the growth of bacteria on the food. The modern implementation of this historical technique can easily be reflected in canned food. There are different types of salt available that vary in color, consistency and taste. Before you start thinking about which is the healthiest, they are all similar. How does salt affect heart health? Most health organizations suggest we consume 2,300 mg of sodium per day. Anything more could be considered harmful to the human body. 2,300 mg of sodium will be exactly equal to one tablespoon or 6 grams of salt. However, according to a survey, 70% of adults consume more salt than the mentioned usage. According to many medical specialists, consuming excessive amounts of salt can instantly and dramatically increase your blood pressure level. This unexpected increase can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. It is recommended to maintain a stable level of consumption since both low and high salt consumption have their consequences. Reducing your salt intake can also lower your blood pressure, causing a new medical condition called salt-sensitive hypertension. According to a 2013 study, individuals who maintain normal blood pressure reduce their salt intake, thereby reducing systolic blood pressure by only 2.42 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 1 mm Hg. On a larger scale we can say that the blood pressure went from 130/75 mm Hg to 128/74 mm Hg. It's not exactly a drastic change you'd hope to see while enduring a tasteless diet. However, there are studies that do not guarantee that limiting salt intake can potentially reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other heart diseases. This is a comprehensive overview of the effects of salt on heart health. Low Salt Intake Here is some evidence that shows that a low-salt diet can be unconditionally harmful Elevated LDL: LDL (low-density lipoprotein) is a cholesterol protein that can spread the plague causing heart attacks and strokes. Normally, our body controls the level of LDL, but when.