Ten Tips to Cut Down on Salt

Reduce Your Sodium Intake and Your Risk of Heart Disease or Stroke

Feb 5, 2009

High levels of sodium are a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. There are surprising amounts of salt in many fast foods. Cut down on salt and improve your health.

Too much salt is implicated in diseases such as stroke and heart attack, kidney disease and stomach cancer, and it may also aggravate asthma and osteoarthritis. Yet many people are unaware of how much salt is in fast foods and snacks.

High levels of salt also affect children’s healthy development, and may contribute to chronic disease problems later in life.

Fast Foods Too High in Sodium

An Australian survey by AWASH (the Australian division of World Action on Salt and Health) showed that, on average, Australians consume 9 grams of salt a day. That is more than double the recommended daily intake (RDI) of 4 grams. People in North America, the UK and Europe also eat similar amounts of salt.

Three-quarters of that salt comes from processed foods. This includes fast foods from chains like KFC, Hungry Jack's, Oporto, Red Rooster, Subway and McDonald's, the survey showed.

Just one burger can contain 150% of the RDI for salt, and one sandwich can contain over 100% of an adult’s RDI.

However, food outlets selling sandwiches, risottos, quiches and pizzas are also to blame. For example, a ham, cheese and tomato sandwich roll can contain over 5 grams of salt.

Less Salt, Better Nutrition

"Cutting back on salty foods will also have other benefits in placing more emphasis on the value of fresh foods on the diet, especially fruits and vegetables,” says nutritionist Rosemary Stanton.

Dr Stanton is Honorary Visiting Fellow at the Department of Physiology,School of Medical Sciences at the University of New South Wales and has written 12 books and numerous articles on nutrition and health.

“Many of the highly salted foods commonly consumed also contribute saturated fat, or else fail to deliver a satisfactory level of nutrients," she says.

10 Tips to Reduce Salt

AWASH Chair, Professor Bruce Neal, says consumers need to be aware of salt in their food, and be proactive about reducing it.

AWASH suggests 10 tips for reducing levels of salt in your diet:

Read labels when shopping and choose low sodium or salt-free alternatives in pre-packaged foods
Keep snacks of fresh fruit, dried fruit or unsalted nuts at home and in the office, and in children’s lunchboxes
Limit takeaways and fast foods such as burgers, fried chicken and pizza to an occasional treat
Ask for fries with no salt
When ordering pizza, choose a vegetarian or chicken topping rather than pepperoni, bacon or extra cheese
When dining out, ask for sauces and other condiments to be served on the side rather than on the meal
Avoid ordering dishes that contain high salt ingredients such as Asian sauces, cured meats and cheeses
Don't add salt to your food at the table when dining out or eating at home
Stock up on low sodium or salt-free condiments, sauces and spreads.
Replace salt in your cooking with herbs and spices