Don't Be So Salty

You know about salt and high blood pressure. But salt and cancer? Research suggests there may be a connection.

Diets high in super salty foods could spell trouble for people's colons, early research suggests. Women in a study who subsisted on a traditional Japanese diet, which tends to be very high in sodium, exhibited an increased risk of colon cancer. More research is needed to confirm the link, but in the meantime, kick up the flavor of your favorite foods with herbs and low-sodium spices instead.

In a recent study, researchers examined the effects of traditional Japanese diets, traditional Western diets, and healthful, balanced diets on colon cancer risk. Japanese diets tend to be high in salty foods, such as pickled fish or vegetables, and Western diets tend to be high in meat, cheese, and butter. The Japanese and Western diets were associated with increased colon cancer risk for women.

Researchers are not sure why their study produced an association only in women, but further research may reveal more information about dietary patterns and colon cancer risk in men. If you're trying to reduce your sodium intake, limit consumption of processed and convenience foods, which are often high in salt.

Salt also is used as a preservative in many canned soups, processed meats, cheeses, crackers, and chips. Be mindful of other hidden sources of salt, such as tomato juice, baking soda, baking powder, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and many condiments, such as soy sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, relish, and pickles. Certain over-the-counter medications also may be high in sodium, including antacids, cold medicines, and analgesics.