The most common form of sodium is sodium chloride or table salt, made up of 40% sodium and 60 % chloride. Sodium is an important mineral for the body to maintain normal function. It helps to regulate blood pressure and blood/ fluid volume with the help of potassium, and manages the functioning of muscles and nerves.

A product is considered low salt if it contains less than 120mg of sodium per 100gm of food/ supplement. Most of us are getting much more than this, particularly if our diet contains processed foods and when sodium is taken in excess it can lead to negative effects.

High blood pressure can potentially result when sodium consumption is too high due to the increase in blood volume as your body tries to dilute the excessive amount of sodium. Increased blood volume leads to increased blood pressure.

Trace minerals (minerals found in small quantities) are abundant in unprocessed salt. Minerals such as magnesium, potassium iron, boron, copper, silicon and zinc to name a few, whereas Table salt only contains sodium and chloride.

A great way to reduce the amount of sodium in your diet is to add salt to taste after cooking food rather that while it is cooking, and definitely not both during cooking and after.

Foods that are lowest in sodium are those that are free of any processing. A diet rich in plant based nutrition and lean animal proteins fit well within a low sodium diet.