You would know that cutting down your salt(sodium) intake can significantly reduce your risk for hypertension and heart disease. However, learning certain facts by shattering the common myths can help you eat heart healthy every day.

Myth 1: You don't need to worry about the sodium in your diet unless you have a health condition like heart disease or high blood pressure.

Fact: Even for people who don’t have high blood pressure, too much sodium can increase the risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

Myth 2. You should eliminate sodium completely if you have high blood pressure.

Fact: Sodium is an important mineral that regulates blood pressure and is needed to make nerves and muscles work properly. If you have high blood pressure you may not need to cut out salt entirely, but how much sodium you take may still matter. So, you need the right amount.

Myth 3. You don’t use much salt in your cooking, so your salt intake is under control.

Fact: Reducing your salt intake means more than using less salt in your cooking. While regular food may be prepared with just the right amount of salt, you must watch out for additional sodium present in other food items like bakery products, pickles, chutneys and sauces, papads, non-alcoholic beverages and canned food.

Myth 4. Himalayan pink salt, and rock salt are healthier options than table salt.

Fact: All salts are similar in sodium content- They all contain about 40 percent sodium--including Himalayan pink salt, rock salt and table salt.

Myth 5:  Sodium is found only in the food that you eat.

Fact: Some over-the-counter medications are high in sodium.

Myth 6: Slashing your salt intake means sacrificing taste.

Fact: Salt isn’t the only flavour enhancer! Fresh or dried herbs, a splash of vinegar, lemon juice or a homemade marinade can enhance flavours in the same way as salt.