Professor Salim Yusuf, a world leading expert on heart health, overturned conventional wisdom on salt consumption that says eating too much is a serious health risk.
Instead he said there was a risk from following current health advice, and he would recommend consuming more than the current maximum guidelines.
His comments come as a new report is published in the European Heart Journal by the joint working group of the World Heart Federation, the European Society of Hypertension and the European Public Health Association which also emphasised the potential dangers of lowering intake too much.
Calling for more research into the effects of recommended levels, the paper said reducing intake to the current recommended level and below had an “uncertain” effect on heart disease and death.
Professor Yusuf, who stepped down from presidency of the World Heart Federation at the beginning of this year, said the Government’s recommended amount of no more than six grammes of salt a day was not enough.
“It is futile to target such low intakes and, moreover, it may well be harmful. Studies show below about three grammes of sodium per day there is increased mortality, heart attack and heart failure,” he said.
He warned reducing salt intake to too low a level undermines the body’s natural balance.
He said: “Reaching sodium intake levels below 2.3g day over a sustainable period of time is not feasible. There is no evidence that this is beneficial and there are concerns it could be harmful.”
Instead the professor recommends taking between 7.5 and 12.5 grammes of salt a day, equivalent to three and five grammes of sodium.
However Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Public Health England, which sets the recommended salt levels, insisted reducing salt consumption helps lower blood pressure, which reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke.
She said: “We are still eating a third more than we should. That’s why industry needs to continue to reduce salt in everyday foods.”
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