On average, Australian adults consume between 8g and 12g of salt daily, which is twice the 6g daily that the National Health & Medical Research Council suggests, and high salt intake is a leading risk factor for people with hypertension.
But if you think you don’t need to worry until your blood pressure starts to go up, think again.
In pictures: Ten hidden causes of food poisoning
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has found that eating too much salt puts you at risk of stroke, heart disease and kidney failure — even if you are fit and healthy and your blood pressure is normal.
And before you bin obviously high-salt foods, such as anchovies and fish sauce, note that ordinary foods — cereals, processed meats and cheeses, and even bread — are also possible suspects.
Remember to read food labels. Foods that contain less than 120mg of sodium per 100g are generally regarded as low-salt; those with 500mg or more are high-salt foods.
Your say: Have you tried to reduce the amount of salt you consume?
Video: A salty solution
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
