Adding table salt to meals could cut more than a year off your life, study finds

• A new study identified a link between adding salt to meals and lower life expectancy.
• Researchers studied 500,000 participants over the course of nine years. 
• Fruits and vegetables were found to help reduce the impact of higher salt consumption.

Adding salt to your food could lead to an earlier death, according to new research published in the European Heart Journal. 

Researchers in Great Britain found that adding salt to a meal after it was prepared was linked to lower life expectancy in women by 1.5 years and by 2.3 years in men. The study analyzed more than 500,000 people over the course of nine years. 

The research was conducted using questionnaires to find out how often individuals added salt to their meals. Urine samples were also collected, which researchers used to estimate sodium intake. Researchers said that while many studies examine day-to-day sodium intake, this study looked specifically at participants' preference for added salt and its long-term impact on mortality.  

Death certificates were examined by researchers to determine life expectancy. Factors such as BMI, sex, and race were taken into account, but there were limitations: Individuals recruited for the study were voluntary participants and therefore are not representative of Britain's overall population, researchers said.

Participants in the study who added salt more frequently were also found to have a higher BMI, exercise less, consume more red meat, and consume fewer vegetables and fruits. Researchers were not able to confirm that additional salt is associated with a less healthy lifestyle or lower socioeconomic status. The study also suggested that the consumption of fruits and vegetables, which contain high levels of potassium, could help counteract the effects of high salt intake.

Ninety percent of adults in the US consume too much salt in their daily diet, and seventy percent of that salt comes from processed foods, according to the FDA. Although the recommended salt intake should not exceed one teaspoon, or 2,300 milligrams, the average American consumes around 1.5 teaspoons (3,400 mg). Salt has been linked to conditions such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and cancer, as Insider's Madeline Kennedy previously reported.

Sodium is a mineral that's an essential part of a healthy diet, particularly for proper nerve and muscle functioning. Limiting processed foods, using reduced-sodium products, and tracking your diet can help you make sure you're getting the proper amount.