Ingredient · Nutrient
Salt
Salt is essential for life, but most people already eat more than is healthy for the heart.
Salt (sodium chloride) is a nutrient your body needs for nerve and muscle function, and it's safe in the amounts naturally needed. The problem is that most processed and restaurant food adds far more than that, and long-term high intake is linked to high blood pressure and heart disease risk for many people.
Why it matters
Salt is table salt: sodium chloride. Your nerves, muscles and fluid balance all need sodium to work. Almost all packaged and restaurant food contains added salt for taste and preservation, on top of what occurs naturally in food. A small amount is required for health, so salt itself is not a toxin — but it is very easy to eat more than your body needs, and over years that excess is linked to raised blood pressure in a large share of the population, which increases risk of heart disease and stroke.
