Toss the Salt!
Carleton University Healthy Workplace Program
Cindy Sass, RD
October 8, 2013
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
 1 out of 5 Canadians have it.

It is Deadly!
boosts risks of heart attack, stroke, heart
failure, kidney disease, dementia.
It accounts for far more doctor visits than any
other ailment.
What’s the worry with salt?

30 % of high blood
pressure is due to
high salt intake.
(Blood Pressure
Canada)

Beyond its effect on
blood pressure, salt
may damage the
heart, kidneys and
other organs.
Salt

People who cut their salt intake:
◦ Have lower blood pressures, risk of stroke and
heart attack, and other cardiovascular events.
◦ A decrease in sodium in the diet even among
those with modestly elevated blood pressure,
lowers risk of CVD later in life.
Lower salt means less disease
Over time 90% of people in Canada will
develop hypertension.
 Blood pressure rises as you age.
 In a US study, average systolic blood
pressure in Americans aged 45-64,
jumped five points in five years.

Nearly everyone gets high blood
pressure
Blood Pressure and Risk
I don’t salt my food or use it in
cooking......
Fact

80 % of the salt we
eat is added to food
before we buy it.
I don’t salt my foods...
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Adequate Intake (AI)
Upper Limit (UL)
Infants 0-6 months 120 mg/day
No data
Infants 7-12 months 370 mg/day
No data
Children 1-3 years 1000 mg/day
1500 mg/day
Children 4-8 years 1200 mg/day
1900 mg/day
Teens 9-13 years 1500 mg/day
2200 mg/day
Adults 14-50 years 1500 mg/day
2300 mg/day
Older adults 51-70 years 1300 mg/day
Older adults over 70 years 1200 mg/day
The average Canadian consumes
about 3,500 mg of sodium per day

Recommended intake for adults is 1500
mg
Where do you get your sodium from??
http://www.projectbiglife.ca/sodium/
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BiG LiFE Sodium Quiz
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Restaurant Meals
Condiments and sauces
Canned foods, soups
Breads and cereals
Ready to eat meals and mixes
Snack foods
Processed foods
Cheese
Processed/Deli meats
Sources of Sodium
Salt on the Menu
Condiments
Canned, and pickled foods
Cereal
Bread
When checking sodium
levels, focus on:

Serving size: How much food
the Nutrition Facts table refers
to.

The number of mg of sodium
listed in the table.

Number of servings consumed x
number of mg of sodium listed =
mg sodium consumed.
Remember, the recommended daily
intake for adults is 1,500 mg
sodium (around 500 mg per
meal).
How to read a nutrition facts label
Sodium 101
% of Daily Value

Buy and eat more
fresh foods,
especially fruits and
vegetables.

Remember that
unprocessed, fresh
foods such as fruits
and vegetables are
good for you and are
naturally low in
sodium.
Toss the Salt!
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Cook more food at
home to avoid
relying on take out
or drive thru meals.
Dine out less often,
when possible ask
for less salt to be
added when
ordering.
Toss the salt!
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Limit processed
foods or ready to
eat foods.
Choose packaged
foods lower in
sodium or brands
with the lowest %
DV of sodium on
the food label.
Toss the salt!
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Rarely eat foods
that are smoked,
cured, pickled or
salted.
Toss the salt!
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Try to avoid high sodium products with
more than 400 milligrams (mg)
sodium per serving.

Cut back on those with a sodium content
of 200 –400 mg per serving.

Look for those products with less than
200 mg per serving.
Toss the salt!

If you do use
canned products,
rinse the contents
before using.
Toss the salt!
Toss the salt!
Limit the use of condiments.
Flavour your food with lemon or lime juice, fresh garlic, spices and herbs.
Look for no salt added options
No salt added!
Low sodium choices
Naturally low in sodium
Salt free snack
Sodium Label Claims

Gourmet salts contain
approximately 100% sodium
chloride, just like table salt,
meaning they will have exactly
the same effect on your blood
pressure and health.
Claims about “gourmet” salts
being healthier than table
varieties should be taken
with a grain of salt.
Salt is salt, whether it’s
Himalayan, Kosher, Rock, Sea, or
Table

As you slowly
decrease your salt
your taste buds will
adjust!
Toss the salt!
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We need to lobby
our government to
pressure and if
necessary – require
food companies to
cut salt in our food.
Toss the salt!
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Sodium 101 app
www.heartandstroke.ca
www.mrsdash.com
www.nhlbi.nih.gov/healt
h/public/heart/hbp/dash
www.sodium101.ca
Websites
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If it is a plant – eat
it!
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If it is made in a
plant – don’t!
Toss the salt!