Is it worse to consume too much salt or too much sugar???

A: In excess, both are very bad for your heart and health. However, consuming too much sugar is worse because it can make the negative effects of sodium even more harmful.

Halt the Salt - The main concern about excess sodium is that elevated blood pressure (hypertension) is known as the "silent killer" and is responsible for more than 350,000 deaths a year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Americans' intake of sodium comes from four main sources: 75 percent is in pre-packaged, processed, and restaurant food; 12 percent occurs naturally in food; 6 percent is added at the table; and 5 percent is added during home cooking. 

Beat the Sweets - While sodium intake has a direct consequence on your blood pressure, sugar's detrimental effects on the body are not as singularly focused. We often hear about the short-term (weight gain) and long-term (diabetes) consequences of too much sugar, but there are many negative effects between these two extremes. 

Aside from being a major source of calories that in excess can lead to fat gain, too much sugar can cause accelerated cellular aging and excessive inflammation, both of which can increase your risk for multiple chronic diseases. It can also decrease neuronal growth factors such as BDNF, a compound produced in your brain that is responsible for enhancing learning memory, higher-level thinking, and even long-term memory.

So stay away from those sea salt caramels!