Health experts are cautioning the public about the dangers of consuming excessive amounts of sodium and sugar in their diets.

Cardiologist Dr. Liberty Yaneza recommended limiting daily salt intake to just half a teaspoon.

“When cooking a dish, add around half a teaspoon only. So the food should be quite bland,” Yaneza said.

PHA director Dr. Jun Aventura further explained that excessive salt consumption can lead to hypertension and potentially heart failure.

“Many people think that too much salt doesn’t cause hypertension. But hypertension is a traitor. Too much salt intake is one of the causes of heart failure. So we suggest that we decrease our salt intake,” Aventura said.

Excessive sugar intake also poses risks, particularly for individuals with uncontrolled diabetes or those experiencing sustained high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) or frequent low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia).

“If we are diabetic, especially if it is uncontrolled, then eventually we will have something called diabetic cardiomyopathy,” Yaneza said.

“We also need to minimize carbohydrates and sugar. Sugar per se is not that bad; however, don’t consume too much of it. Because too much sugar is also calories,” she added.

Yaneza also cited that the recommended daily calorie intake to avoid weight gain is around 1,600 calories for women and 2,000 for men.