Facts about salt

Most sodium is consumed in the form of sodium chloride, which is table salt. Other forms of sodium are also found in food, so watch out for salt and sodium

Our body requires a daily intake of pure, natural salt as well as water to build our cells and maintain a healthy body. Unprocessed salt promotes healthy cell growth and maintains the electrolyte balance inside and outside of the cells.

Try to have less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day - that's the same as six grams of salt a day, or about one teaspoon. That includes all sodium and salt that is in the product and added in cooking and at the table.

Processed foods account for most of the sodium and salt consumed. About 75 per cent of salt is hidden in processed foods, not salt we add to our food.

Check food labels - sodium is in some foods you might not expect, such as soy sauce and some antacids. Reading product labels can help to determine if a product is high or low in salt, and whether or not it is high compared to a similar product.

Kosher salt and sea salt are just that - salt. Don't forget to include them in adding up your sodium intake for the day.

Reducing salt in the diet can lower blood pressure. Raised blood pressure is the major cause of cardiovascular disease, accounting for 62 per cent of strokes and 49 per cent of coronary heart disease.

The World Health Organis-ation has recognised that salt reduction is of equal importance to quitting smoking for heart disease patients.

A high salt diet can also contribute to osteoporosis, stomach cancer, kidney disease, kidney stones, and obesity.

For every one-gram of salt we cut from our average daily intake, there would be 6,000 fewer deaths from strokes and heart attacks each year.

Achieving the six-gram intake target will prevent a further 17,500 premature deaths every year and save the economy around $4billion.

Reducing salt intake around the world by 15 per cent is projected to prevent nine million deaths between 2006 and 2015.

Your blood pressure as a child can influence your blood pressure as an adult, so keeping your salt intake down from a young age is important.

According to 2010 data, 30 per cent of an adult's salt intake comes from cereals and cereal products, while 28 per cent is from meat products. For children, 35 per cent of their salt is from cereals and cereal products, and 25 per cent is from meat products.