Sodium: How much is too much?
How much sodium do you need? About 1,500 mg per day. Health Canada recommends that adults not exceed 2,300 mg a day.
How much sodium are Canadians actually eating? According to the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey, we consume an average of 3,092 mg per day, more than twice the amount we actually need.
Too much sodium is known to contribute to high blood pressure, a major risk factor for stroke, heart disease and kidney disease. Our high-salt diets may be cutting our lives short and driving up health-care costs.
CIHR is funding a range of research exploring the connection between dietary sodium and health. Over the next few months, we'll be highlighting a few of these research projects and directing you to other information sources that can help you make informed decisions about the sodium in your own diet.
- Same great taste, less sodium
Researchers are looking for ways to reduce the sodium in food without losing its benefits - Less sodium equals healthier hearts
A University of Calgary researcher translates sodium research into health policy - Looking at the big picture
A Memorial University researcher studies the short- and long-term impacts of dietary sodium