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The National Health Service (NHS) in the UK takes a balanced view on salt. Medical professionals don’t recommend cutting this ingredient out of your diet entirely.
Table salt, also called sodium chloride, is about 40 percent sodium — a mineral the body needs every day.
Small amounts of sodium support normal nervous system function, muscle contraction and relaxation, bone formation, and help maintain fluid and acid–base balance. British dietitian Pippa Hill says a lack of salt can cause muscle cramps, nausea, fatigue, and dizziness.
However, eating more than 6 grams of salt a day — roughly one teaspoon — can harm your health. That’s the NHS recommended limit for adults.
Dietitian Olivia Burley, who works on the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, says increased salt intake disrupts the body’s sodium balance. That can trigger high blood pressure.
Hill points to foods that are especially high in salt, such as canned fish and meats, frozen meals, salted nuts, canned beans, and cured meats.
Here are four warning signs you may be eating too much salt.
Headaches
Eating too much salt can dehydrate you and trigger severe headaches. Blood vessels swell, producing a pulsating pain.
These headaches usually begin one to two hours after eating. For people with high blood pressure, they can start even sooner.
To ease the pain, restore the body’s water balance by drinking plenty of fluids.
Swelling in the Legs and Arms
Swelling around the fingers, ankles, or feet can be a reaction to a sodium spike after eating too much salt.
When the body has excess salt, it retains extra sodium and increases the fluid outside cells, Burley explains. That reduces how much water the kidneys remove and raises blood pressure.
Swelling is often more noticeable after long periods of sitting or during long trips.
If swelling becomes a regular problem, see a doctor, since it can signal underlying health issues.
High Blood Pressure
Salt contributes to high blood pressure. If high blood pressure goes untreated, it raises the risk of serious problems like cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Pippa Hill lists signs that blood pressure may be rising from too much salt: blurred vision, chest pain, a rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, and sudden nosebleeds.
But high blood pressure can also show no symptoms. The only way to know is to check it regularly with a blood pressure monitor.
Frequent Urination
Salty foods make you thirsty, so you drink more. The body uses that extra fluid to flush out excess salt, which leads to more trips to the bathroom.
