What is salt?
Salt is a chemical compound containing sodium and chloride.

Why do we use salt?
Salt is used to season and preserve foods. A small amount is essential for good health – it is used to help regulate fluid levels. Too much salt can increase blood pressure and lead to heart and kidney disease.

Which foods contain salt?
Salt is common in processed foods. In fact, roughly 75% of salt in the average diet comes from processed foods. Sodium is naturally found in whole grains, meat and dairy products.

How much salt is OK?
Adults should aim to have no more than 4g of salt or 1,600mg of sodium per day, according to the National Health and Medical Research Centre. Average daily consumption is currently estimated to be at least double the daily recommended upper limit (at about 8-10g of salt or 6,400-8,000mg of sodium). Keep in mind adults need just 1g of salt or 400mg sodium per day to ensure good health.

Would you like a sandwich with your salt?
Health And The City author Caitlin Reid warns many popular lunch options are high in salt and says it is easy to be caught out. She found a ham, cheese and tomato roll from a leading sandwich chain with more than 5 grams of salt. Put it another way – the roll contained more salt than the recommended daily allowance.

A survey by the Australian Division of World Action on Salt and Health (AWASH) in February 2009 also found some popular fast foods contain so much salt, they raise the risk of chronic health problems.

Look at what AWASH discovered:

6 Tips to Hold the Salt

1. Don’t add salt – either in cooking or at the table. Use lemon juice, garlic, vinegar or herbs and spices to add flavour instead.

2. Include fresh options in lunch boxes. Try boiled eggs, salad, vegetable sticks and fresh fruit.

3. Limit processed foods, fast foods and takeaway.

4. Choose low salt or reduced salt breakfast cereals (aim for 120mg of sodium per 100g or less).

5. Don’t be afraid to ask for low-salt options when eating out.

6. Avoid stock cubes and soy sauce – both are high in salt.

Salty Sums (Read the Label)

To convert sodium into salt, multiply by 2.5. For example: 1,600mg sodium multiplied by 2.5 = 4g salt