AUSSIE men are consuming almost twice the recommended daily intake of salt. But before you point the finger, ladies, you're not far behind!
Our men are ingesting 10.1 grams a day, with women eating 7.34 grams, according to a study of more than 16,000 people analysed by the Medical Journal of Australia.
The maximum recommended intake from the World Health Organisation is 5 grams a day.
The research team was led by Bruce Neal of the Food Policy Division of the George Institute for Global Health.
"Strong and consistent evidence indicates that a high dietary salt intake increases blood pressure, which in turn increases the risk of cardiovascular disease," Professor Neal said.
He said reducing the amount of salt we consume is projected to be "one of the most cost-effective strategies for reducing rates of premature death and disability attributable to high blood pressure and vascular disease".
The report authors said the study reaffirms the need for action to reduce salt intake.
All WHO member states, including Australia, have agreed to reducing the mean population salt intake by 30 per cent by 2025.
Tips on cutting down on salt
MORE than three-quarters of our salt intake is from processed foods, so while easing up on the salt shaker helps, watching how much salt is in what you buy is even more important.
Heart Foundation Queensland nutrition manager Maria Packard said research from the George Institute recently revealed the amount of salt content in one of our most popular pantry items, bread.
The research showed we needed to rely on more than our taste buds to identify the salt level in food.
"It is important to watch salt in our diet, as too much can increase your risk of high blood pressure which can then link to heart disease," Ms Packard said.
"The good news is there are some easy ways to lower your salt consumption without reducing the flavour or enjoyment of your food."
The Heart Foundation's top tips on how to cut down on salt:
Train your taste buds
It will only take a few weeks for your taste buds to adjust to less salt and once they do you'll be noticing more other flavours.
Check the food label
Salt is listed as sodium and you need to look for products that have less than 400mg per 100g. Foods with less than 120mg per 100g are considered low in salt.
Switch brands
Your favourite foods could also be in "no added salt" or "low in salt" versions, so go for these.
Stick to fresh
Fresh foods tend to have less salt than processed foods, so buy these when you can.
Limit the salty foods
Lots of processed and fast foods, like packet soups, pizzas and pies, have high levels of salt so try to limit how much of these you eat in a week.
