Nutrition

Shake the salt habit

Cutting back on sodium offers indisputable health benefits. Simple changes can help you get there.

By , Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
  • Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
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Close-up of a hand holding a glass salt shaker upside down, with the salt streaming out onto and forming a pile.

While our bodies need some sodium to work properly, most of us consume too much, according to the CDC. The average American ingests more than 3,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium each day, far more than the American Heart Association’s recommendation of no more than 2,300 mg (roughly the amount in a teaspoon of salt) and ideal intake of no more than 1,500 mg daily.

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About the Author

photo of Maureen Salamon

Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch

Maureen Salamon is executive editor of Harvard Women’s Health Watch. She began her career as a newspaper reporter and later covered health and medicine for a wide variety of websites, magazines, and hospitals. Her work has … See Full Bio
View all posts by Maureen Salamon

About the Reviewer

photo of Toni Golen, MD

Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor

Dr. Toni Golen is a physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, practicing in Boston. Dr. Golen completed her residency training at George Washington University Medical Center in 1995, and is an associate professor at Harvard Medical … See Full Bio
View all posts by Toni Golen, MD
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