Sodium reduction & health

Salt is the main vector of sodium intake

Sodium  plays an important physiological role by participating in particular in the regulation of osmotic balance, in the transmission of nerve impulses, in muscle contractions, and in the intestinal absorption of certain nutrients. In European countries, three-quarters of the sodium consumed comes from processed foods, the rest being from salt added at the table or during cooking .

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An excessive salt intake can lead to an increase in the incidence of certain cardiovascular pathologies, in particular high blood pressure and coronary artery disease.

Salt is a health risk factor

Salt is a risk factor for death independent of other cardiovascular risk factors, notably atherogenic.

WHO recommends intakes of less than 5 g of salt / day. At the national level, the National Nutrition Health Program 3 (PNNS 3) aims to limit salt consumption to 8 g / day for men, and 6.5 g / day for women and children.
Currently, salt intake is too high with an average of 8.5 g / day in adults.

Benefits of sodium restriction and sodium reduced salts

Numerous studies have demonstrated the positive impact of reducing sodium consumption on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The DASH and TOHP studies respectively showed that a reduction in sodium intake was likely to be associated with a significant drop in blood pressure and a 25% decrease in cardiovascular events.

Over the past 30 years, Finland's health policy has led to a gradual decrease in sodium intake, alcohol consumption and obesity. During this period, mortality from coronary heart disease and stroke fell by 80% in adults. Mean arterial pressure has fallen by more than 10 mm Hg

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Published in the British Medical Journal in 2013 ( see study ), a large meta-analysis has gathered quality studies on the subject. The authors conclude that reducing sodium intake is beneficial for most of the population (adults and children).

All in all, the estimate of the benefits of reducing dietary sodium reveals that they are considerable and that they justify a Public Health approach to reduce sodium on a population scale.

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The recent ramdomized and large-scale study over a period of 5 years  SSaSS (Salt Substitute and Stroke Study) from the George Institute for Global Health published in the New England Journal of Medicine (August 2021 - see SSaSS study ) goes one step further and also shows the direct benefit of reducing sodium in the diet, using reduced sodium salt. sodium and potassium mineral base, for the prevention of  stroke and reduction in mortality in the hypertensive population and / or with a history of stroke. This study shows a significant reduction of 13% in strokes and 12% in deaths in this population with the use of salt reduced by 25% in sodium and enriched at an equivalent rate in potassium.

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A growing and on-going process

A growing number of countries are developing dietary sodium reduction strategies. Some are incentive, others are more coercive.

The European Union has also undertaken initiatives to limit the consumption of salt. In 2008, the European Commission established a framework for national salt initiatives (Framework for National Salt Initiatives). This framework presents a common vision of a general approach with the aim of reducing salt and the overall objective of helping to reduce sodium intake in the population so as to meet the recommendations formulated in the country by the WHO.

Low sodium minerals, a healthy solution to replace salt.

Sodium reduction, beyond a certain threshold, involves replacing the salt with ingredients that are also salty but with no sodium.

There are various products for this purpose, aromas, yeasts, condiments & spices etc.

But the healthiest and most effective solution is inspired directly by nature. These are minerals, naturally present in the seas and the rocks, they have natural salting properties and their contribution is essential to our nutritional balance.