The average American consumes about 18 grams of salt daily. That’s roughly one to three teaspoonfuls. Your body only needs about 0.5 grams of salt (0.2) grams [200 mg] sodium [NA] each day.
Reducing the amount of sodium you consume may help you reduce or avoid high blood pressure. That is important because people with high blood pressure are more likely to develop heart disease and stroke.
These diseases are the No. 1 and No. 3 killer in the United States today.