Limiting the quantity of salt in your diet can help reduce the amount of extra fluid in your legs, heart, and lungs. Your heart has to work harder and your blood pressure may rise if you have extra fluid in your body.

Salt and sodium are not the same thing, so keep that in mind. A teaspoon of salt contains 2,300 mg of sodium, which is a compound that is formed from the element’s sodium and chloride. While less processed than regular table salt, sea salt and kosher salt nevertheless contain significant amounts of sodium. Both table salt and sea salt contain roughly the same amount of sodium.

• The WHO advises against consuming more than 5 g (a little under a teaspoon) of salt per day for individuals.
• High sodium consumption (>2 grams/day, equivalent to 5 g salt/day) and low potassium intake (less than 3.5 grams/day) both contribute to high blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
• Salt intake of less than 5 grams per day for adults helps to decrease blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and coronary heart attack. The major benefit of lowering salt intake is a corresponding reduction in high blood pressure.