Can eating a lot of salt cause cancer?

Yes, eating a lot of salt and salty foods increases the risk for gastric (stomach) cancer. Other risk factors include eating pickled or processed foods, presence of H. pylori stomach infection, and a genetic predisposition or family history of stomach cancer. Those with H. pylori infection are 50 percent more prone to develop cancer of the stomach. The US FDA recommended allowance of salt intake is no more than 2,400 mg a day, equivalent to one teaspoon. The Institute of Medicine and the medical community suggest 1,500 mg per day as the maximum limit for healthy individuals and much lower for those with heart failure or kidney disease, and other conditions where low salt diet is prescribed. Some anti-cancer foods, besides fish with its omega 3 oil, are citrus fruits (tangerine, oranges), orange-colored vegetables, various berries, sweet potatoes, carrots, Brussels sprouts, garlic, onion, cabbage and other and cruciferous vegetables, red beans, pinto beans, pumpkin, squash, and vegetables in general.