Salt and sodium - how to reduce intake

<!DOCTYPE html>  <html lang="en-AU"> <head> <title>Salt and sodium - how to reduce intake | healthdirect</title> <script src="https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api.js?render=6LeuO7AbAAAAAFFZKM3tkkJpyASWHzTJ-_fpMK7y" async defer></script> <meta name="apple-itunes-app" content="app-id=1021494621"> <meta name="description" content="Excess salt can raise your blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Learn how to lower your salt (sodium) intake here."> <meta charset="utf-8"> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0"> <meta name="referrer" content="always" /> <meta name="DC.Format" schema="DCterms:IMT" content="text/html" /><meta name="DC.Type" content="text/html"> <meta name="DC.Title" xml:lang="EN" content="Salt and sodium" /> <meta name="DC.Creator" content="Healthdirect Australia"> <meta name="DC.Subject" xml:lang="EN" content="Salt,Diet,Blood Pressure"> <meta name="DC.Publisher" content="Healthdirect Australia"> <meta name="DC.Date" scheme="ISO8601" content="2024-05-03T04:05:54.382Z"> <meta name="DC.Description" xml:lang="EN" content="Excess salt can raise your blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Learn how to lower your salt (sodium) intake here."> <meta name="DC.Rights" content="Healthdirect Australia"> <meta name="DC.Language" content="en-AU"> <meta property="og:title" content="Salt and sodium" > <meta property="og:type" content="article" > <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/salt" > <meta property="og:image" content="https://media.healthdirect.org.au/images/inline/original/healthdirect_logo.png"> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/salt"> <link rel="amphtml" href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/amp/article/salt"> <script type="application/ld+json">{"mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What’s the difference between salt and sodium?","@id":"https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/salt#Question2","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","name":"What's the difference between salt and sodium? Answer","text":"What is salt?\nSalt has been used to flavour and preserve food for centuries.\n\nSalt is a mineral made mostly of sodium chloride.\n\nYou need sodium for your body to function. However, eating too much salt, and therefore sodium, carries health risks.\n\nMost Australians consume more salt (and therefore sodium) than is recommended.\n\nWhat's the difference between salt and sodium?\nSalt is made of sodium chloride — about 40% is sodium.\n\nIt's the sodium that can be damaging to your health.","@id":"https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/salt#Answer2"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How can sodium impact my health?","@id":"https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/salt#Question4","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","name":"How can sodium impact my health? Answer","text":"Too much sodium in your diet is linked to high blood pressure, which can lead to:\n\nheart disease\nstroke\nheart attack\nchronic kidney disease\nGenerally, a healthy diet provides enough sodium for your body to function without any problems.\n\nIn some circumstances, sodium levels in your blood can become unbalanced. Your sodium levels are measured in millimoles per litre (mmol/L), with a blood test.\n\nHyponatraemia\nHyponatraemia is when you have too little sodium in your blood (below 135mmol/litre for an adult).\n\nIt is rarely caused by too little sodium in the diet. Mostly, it is caused by too much sodium being lost from the body, from things like:\n\ndiarrhoea\nvomiting\nnausea\nexcessive sweating (hyperhidrosis)\na side effect of some medicines\nexcess fluids in the body, such as from overconsumption of water or kidney disease\nSymptoms of hyponatraemia may include:\n\nconfusion\ndifficulty walking\nlack of energy\nSigns of severe hyponatraemia include:\n\nheadache\nmuscle twitching and seizures\nSevere hyponatraemia can lead to coma.\n\nHypernatraemia\nHypernatraemia is when you have too much sodium in your blood (more than 145mmol/litre for an adult).\n\nIt is usually due to excessive loss of water that is not being replaced by drinking, or not drinking enough. This is known as dehydration. The water can be lost through:\n\nvomiting\ndiarrhoea\nexcessive sweating\ntaking certain medicines\nSymptoms of hypernatraemia include:\n\nthirst\nconfusion\ntiredness\nSevere hypernatraemia may lead to coma or death.\n\nSodium and exercise\nYou can lose a lot of fluid and sodium through sweating, which can be caused by:\n\nintense exercise for a long period of time\nexercising or doing physical work in the heat\nTo make up for the loss of sodium, some people, such as endurance athletes, may need to consume more sodium than the guidelines suggest.","@id":"https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/salt#Answer4"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What foods and medicines are high in salt?","@id":"https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/salt#Question7","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","name":"What foods and medicines are high in salt? Answer","text":"Most salt in the Australian diet comes from eating processed and packaged foods. This is then followed by salt added at the table or during cooking.\n\nFood does not have to taste salty to have high sodium content. For example, sweet biscuits can be high in sodium because of the sodium bicarbonate (baking powder) in them — not from added salt.\n\nThese foods are typically high in sodium:\n\npackaged and processed 'ready meals'\npotato crisps and salty snack foods\nprocessed meats and meat products\nburgers and pizza\ncheese\ncertain sauces, spreads and condiments, such as Vegemite and soy sauce\nSome common pain-relief medicines and vitamin supplements — those that fizz (or are called soluble or dissolvable) when you dissolve them in water — may contain high levels of sodium.\n\nCheck the packet or Consumer Medicines Information leaflet for the sodium content if you use these regularly.","@id":"https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/salt#Answer7"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How can I find out how much sodium is in food?","@id":"https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/salt#Question8","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","name":"How can I find out how much sodium is in food? Answer","text":"Food labels in Australia must list total sodium content. This includes:\n\nnaturally occurring sodium\nsodium from food additives\nsodium from added salt\nThey all count towards your daily sodium allowance. The labels must also record all salt and sodium-containing additives in the ingredients list.\n\nSee the nutrition information panel on the packaging for the:\n\ntotal amount of sodium you are consuming in the 'per serve' column\namount of sodium 'per 100g', which helps you compare the sodium content of similar foods\nAustralian nutrition experts recommend choosing foods with 400mg of sodium per 100g. Foods labelled 'low salt' are best. These have less than 120mg sodium per 100g.\n\nSalts that contain sodium include:\n\nrock salt\nsea salt\ncelery salt\ngarlic salt\nonion salt\nThese ingredients may also indicate high sodium:\n\nbaking powder\nmeat\nyeast extract\nMSG (monosodium glutamate)\nsodium bicarbonate\nsodium nitrate\nstock cubes\nSodium from any source, not just salt, may carry health risks if overconsumed.","@id":"https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/salt#Answer8"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How do I convert sodium to salt?","@id":"https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/salt#Question9","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","name":"How do I convert sodium to salt? Answer","text":"You can convert the amount of sodium in a food into its equivalent weight in salt (sodium chloride).\n\nTo convert sodium to grams (g) of salt:\n\ntake the amount of sodium in milligrams (mg)\nmultiply this by 2.5\ndivide this number by 1,000\nFor example, 100mg of sodium × 2.5 = 250mg salt divided by 1,000 = 0.25g salt. So, 100mg sodium equates to 0.25g of salt.\n\nYou can also use the Heart Foundation's sodium and salt converter.","@id":"https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/salt#Answer9"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Are some types of salt healthier than others?","@id":"https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/salt#Question10","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","name":"Are some types of salt healthier than others? Answer","text":"There are different types of salt other than plain table salt, such as:\n\nsea salt\npink salt\nHimalayan salt\nblack salt\nSome brands claim to offer health benefits because they contain additional minerals.\n\nHowever, additional minerals may only be present in trace amounts. You're likely to get them from other sources in your diet.\n\nRegardless of these claims, all salt contains sodium, which if overconsumed can cause health problems.\n\nIodised salt\nIodised salt has been fortified with iodine.\n\nIodine is a mineral essential for health. It is important for\n\nmaking thyroid hormones\npeople who are planning to get pregnant, are pregnant or are breastfeeding\nToo little iodine (iodine deficiency) can impact neurological function.\n\nTable salt with iodine is widely available. All Australian commercial bread (except organic bread) is made with iodised salt.\n\nAre salt substitutes safe?\nSalt substitutes and reduced-sodium salts may not be suitable for everyone.\n\nSalt substitutes usually combine sodium chloride with potassium chloride, another mineral. This reduces the amount of sodium in salt used. Many reduced salt foods now contain salt substitutes.\n\nYou should seek medical advice before using salt substitutes or eating foods with salt substitutes if you:\n\nhave kidney problems\ntake non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines\ntake certain blood pressure medications, including ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, and some diuretics\nThis is because these salts can lead to increased levels of potassium.","@id":"https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/salt#Answer10"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How can I reduce my sodium intake?","@id":"https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/salt#Question11","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","name":"How can I reduce my sodium intake? Answer","text":"More than three-quarters of salt consumed in the Australian diet is from salt added to processed foods. Avoiding these foods or choosing more wisely can substantially reduce your sodium intake.\n\nIt's also possible to 'retrain' your taste buds to adapt to having less salt. Reduce your salt intake gradually and after a while, you might not notice the lack of salt.\n\nThe best place to start is to follow the Australian Dietary Guidelines, and eat fresh and unprocessed foods, including:\n\nplenty of vegetables\nfruits\nwhole grains\nYou can also reduce your sodium intake by:\n\nchecking food labels\nchoosing lower-sodium foods, and foods labelled as 'low-salt', 'salt-reduced' or 'no added salt'\navoiding adding salt at the table or while cooking\nusing garlic, herbs, spices, lemon juice and vinegars to flavour food instead of salt\ncooking your own food instead of eating takeaway food and pre-packaged foods\navoiding cured and salted processed meats\nlimiting salty snacks\nIf you want to change your diet, you can speak to your doctor. They can refer you to a dietitian.\n\nDietitians can help you change your diet, while making sure you still get all the nutrients your body needs. An accredited practising dietitian can help you design a healthy eating plan tailored to you.","@id":"https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/salt#Answer11"}}],"@type":"FAQPage","about":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt","name":"Salt and sodium","description":"Excess salt can raise your blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Learn how to lower your salt (sodium) intake here.","dateModified":"2024-04-10T08:25:00Z","@id":"https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/salt","@context":"http://schema.org","url":"https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/salt","sameAs":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effects_of_salt"}</script> <script src="https://cdn-oc.readspeaker.com/script/8207/webReader/webReader.js?pids=wr" type="text/javascript" id="rs_req_Init"></script> <script> dataLayer = []; </script>  <script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-MHFB33K');</script>  <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="180x180" href="/assets/images/apple-touch-icon.png"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="512x512" href="/assets/images/android-chrome-512x512.png"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="192x192" href="/assets/images/android-chrome-192x192.png"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="32x32" href="/assets/images/favicon-32x32.png"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="16x16" href="/assets/images/favicon-16x16.png">  <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/assets/711/styles/main.css"> <style type="text/css"> .grecaptcha-badge{ display:none; } </style> <script type="text/javascript"> var HDW = {mediaCdn:'https://media.healthdirect.org.au/', siteId:'hin', nhsdApi:'7de96a3a4efb4b93b19035e6ee7554ef'} </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/assets/711/scripts/veyron.js"></script> </head> <body >  <noscript><iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-MHFB33K" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>  <header class="hda-head"> <div class="hda-head_content"> <div class="hda-head_content-common"> <div class="hda-head_col-logo"> <a href="/" class="hda-head_col-logo-link"> <img class="hda-head_col-logo-img" src="/assets/images/logo-hda.svg" alt="healthdirect australia logo"> </a> </div> <div class="hda-head_col-mob-menu mobile-only"> <script type="text/javascript">function getHeaderButtonsMobileHtml(isLoggedIn, baseUrl) { switch (isLoggedIn) { case true: return String.raw` <div class="hda-head_col-mob-menu-account" id="header-buttons-mobile"> <button class="hda-head_col-mob-menu-account-signout-btn" aria-controls="menu-sign" aria-haspopup="menu" aria-expanded="false" onclick="handleToggle()" > <i aria-hidden="true" class="dor-icon_user-circle"></i><span class="sr-only">Sign out</span> </button> <ul id="menu-sign" role="menu" class="hda-head_col-mob-menu-account-list" style="display: none"> <li><a href="/account/dashboard">Dashboard</a></li> <li><a href="/account/care-advice">Care advice</a></li> <li><a href="/account/profile">Profile</a></li> <li><a href="/" onclick="return handleSignOutMobile('${baseUrl}')">Sign out</a></li> </ul> </div>` case false: return String.raw` <div class="hda-head_col-mob-menu-account" id="header-buttons-mobile"> <button class="hda-head_col-mob-menu-account-signin-btn" aria-controls="menu-sign" aria-haspopup="menu" aria-expanded="false" onclick="handleToggle()" > <i aria-hidden="true" class="dor-icon_user-circle-o"></i><span class="sr-only">Sign in</span> </button> <ul id="menu-sign" role="menu" class="hda-head_col-mob-menu-account-list" style="display: none"> <li><a href="/account/join">Join</a></li> <li><a href="/account/signin">Sign in</a></li> </ul> </div>` } }; async function handleSignOutMobile(baseUrl) { const hasBeenSignedOut = await fetch(baseUrl.concat("auth/sign-out"), { method: "POST", headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json", }, body: JSON.stringify({ data: { type: "sign-out", attributes: { accessToken: localStorage.getItem('access_token'), } } }) }).then(response => response.status === 204).catch(console.error); // redirect to the homepage if (hasBeenSignedOut) { localStorage.removeItem('access_token'); localStorage.removeItem('session_token'); localStorage.removeItem('email'); localStorage.removeItem('refresh_token'); window.location.href = '/'; } return false; }; function handleToggle() { const menu = document.getElementById('menu-sign'); if (menu.style.display === "none") menu.style.display = "block"; else menu.style.display = "none"; }</script> <div class="hda-head_col-mob-menu-account" id="header-buttons-mobile"> <button class="hda-head_col-mob-menu-account-signin-btn" aria-controls="menu-sign" aria-haspopup="menu" aria-expanded="false" onclick="handleToggle()" > <i aria-hidden="true" class="dor-icon_user-circle-o"></i><span class="sr-only">Sign in</span> </button> <ul id="menu-sign" role="menu" class="hda-head_col-mob-menu-account-list" style="display: none"> <li><a href="/account/join">Join</a></li> <li><a href="/account/signin">Sign in</a></li> </ul> </div> <script> (async() => { const headerButtonsMobile = document.getElementById('header-buttons-mobile'); const isLoggedIn = !!localStorage.getItem('access_token'); headerButtonsMobile.outerHTML = getHeaderButtonsMobileHtml(isLoggedIn, "https://prd.uim.hda-online.com.au/"); })(); </script> <button class="hda-head_col-mob-menu-btn" aria-haspopup="true" aria-expanded="false"> <i aria-hidden="true" class="hda-head_col-mob-menu-btn-icon"></i> Menu </button> </div> <div class="hda-head_col-tagline"> <h1 class="hda-head_col-tagline-line"><span class="sr-only">Healthdirect </span><span>Free Australian health advice you can count on.</span></h1> </div> <script type="text/javascript">function getHeaderButtonsHtml(isLoggedIn, baseUrl) { switch (isLoggedIn) { case true: return String.raw` <div class="hda-head_col-user-acc-sign-out" id="header-buttons"> <a class="ua-lnk_dash" href="/account/dashboard"><i class="dor-icon_user-circle-o" aria-hidden="true"></i> <span>My account</span></a> <button class="ua-btn_outlined" onclick="handleSignOut('${baseUrl}')">Sign out</button> </div> ` case false: return String.raw` <div class="hda-head_col-user-acc-sign-in" id="header-buttons"> <button class="ua-btn_filled" onclick="handleJoin()">Join</button> <button class="ua-btn_outlined" onclick="handleSignIn()">Sign in</button> </div> ` } }; async function handleSignOut(baseUrl) { const hasBeenSignedOut = await fetch(baseUrl.concat("auth/sign-out"), { method: "POST", headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json", }, body: JSON.stringify({ data: { type: "sign-out", attributes: { accessToken: localStorage.getItem('access_token'), } } }) }).then(response => response.status === 204).catch(console.error); // redirect to the homepage if (hasBeenSignedOut) { localStorage.removeItem('access_token'); localStorage.removeItem('session_token'); localStorage.removeItem('email'); localStorage.removeItem('refresh_token'); window.location.href = '/'; } }; function handleSignIn() { window.location.href = '/account/signin'; }; function handleJoin() { window.location.href = '/account/join'; }</script> <div class="hda-head_col-user-acc-sign-in" id="header-buttons"> <button class="ua-btn_filled" onclick="handleJoin()">Join</button> <button class="ua-btn_outlined" onclick="handleSignIn()">Sign in</button> </div> <script> (async() => { const headerButtons = document.getElementById('header-buttons'); const isLoggedIn = !!localStorage.getItem('access_token'); headerButtons.outerHTML = getHeaderButtonsHtml(isLoggedIn, "https://prd.uim.hda-online.com.au/"); })(); </script> <div class="hda-head_content-common-print"> <p>Medical problem? Call 1800 022 222. If you need urgent medical help, call triple zero immediately</p> <p>healthdirect Australia is a free service where you can talk to a nurse or doctor who can help you know what to do.</p> </div> </div> <div class="hda-head_menu-row">  <div class="hda-head_menu-row-node-mobile-mode device-only">  <form id="search-form-node-mobile-mode" class="hda-head_menu-row-node-mobile-mode-search"> <div role="combobox" aria-expanded="false" aria-owns="header-search-suggestions" aria-haspopup="listbox"> <input tabindex="0" id="header-search-mobile-mode" class="hda-head_menu-row-node-mobile-mode-search-field" type="search" autocomplete="off" name="searchterm" placeholder="Search our site" title="Suggestion options" aria-label="Enter your search terms" aria-autocomplete="list"> </div> <ul id="header-search-suggestions" class="dropdown-menu hda-head_menu-row-node-mobile-mode-search-list veyron-search-list" role="listbox" position="position"> <li class="primary-search-list-item" role="option"> <a tabindex="-1" rel="nofollow" href="/search-results/{{url}}">{{label}}</a> </li> </ul> <button tabindex="0" aria-label="search" class="hda-head_menu-row-node-mobile-mode-search-submit veyron-search-lens-btn" type="button"> <i aria-hidden="true" class="hda-head_menu-row-node-mobile-mode-search-icon"></i> </button> </form> <script type="text/javascript"> primarySearch('node-mobile-mode'); </script> </div> <nav class="hda-head_menu-row-bar">  <ul class="hda-head_menu-row-bar-nav"> <li class="hda-head_menu-row-bar-nav-level-1-item"> <a href="/">Home</a> </li> <li class="hda-head_menu-row-bar-nav-level-1-item"> <button class="hda-js-has-secondary-menu" aria-haspopup="true" aria-expanded="false">Health topics A-Z <i aria-hidden="true" class="hda-head_menu-row-bar-nav-dropdown-icon"></i></button> <div class="hda-head_menu-row-bar-nav-level-2"> <ul> <li class="hda-head_menu-row-bar-nav-level-2-item tablet-up"> <a href="/health-topics/conditions" class="hda-head_menu-row-bar-nav-level-2-heading">Conditions</a> <a href="/gastroenteritis">Gastroenteritis</a> <a href="/skin-conditions">Skin Conditions</a> <a href="/whooping-cough">Whooping Cough</a> </li> <li class="hda-head_menu-row-bar-nav-level-2-item tablet-up"> <a href="/health-topics/symptoms" class="hda-head_menu-row-bar-nav-level-2-heading">Symptoms</a> <a href="/abdominal-pain">Abdominal Pain</a> <a href="/bites-and-stings">Bites and Stings</a> <a href="/diarrhoea">Diarrhoea</a> </li> <li class="hda-head_menu-row-bar-nav-level-2-item tablet-up"> <a href="/health-topics/procedures" class="hda-head_menu-row-bar-nav-level-2-heading">Procedures</a> <a href="/colonoscopy">Colonoscopy</a> <a href="/grommets">Grommets</a> <a href="/liposuction">Liposuction</a> <a href="/tubal-ligation">Tubal ligation</a> </li> <li class="hda-head_menu-row-bar-nav-level-2-item tablet-up"> <a href="/life-stages" class="hda-head_menu-row-bar-nav-level-2-heading">Life stages</a> <a href="/babies-and-toddlers-health">Babies and toddlers</a> <a href="/kids-health">Kids</a> <a href="/seniors-health">Seniors</a> </li> <li class="hda-head_menu-row-bar-nav-level-2-item__a-z"> <a href="/health-topics" class="hda-head_menu-row-bar-nav-level-2-heading">All topics</a> <a href="/health-topics/A">A</a> <a href="/health-topics/B">B</a> <a href="/health-topics/C">C</a> <a href="/health-topics/D">D</a> <a href="/health-topics/E">E</a> <a href="/health-topics/F">F</a> <a href="/health-topics/G">G</a> <a href="/health-topics/H">H</a> <a href="/health-topics/I">I</a> <a href="/health-topics/J">J</a> <a href="/health-topics/K">K</a> <a href="/health-topics/L">L</a> <a href="/health-topics/M">M</a> <a href="/health-topics/N">N</a> <a href="/health-topics/O">O</a> <a href="/health-topics/P">P</a> <a href="/health-topics/Q">Q</a> <a href="/health-topics/R">R</a> <a href="/health-topics/S">S</a> <a href="/health-topics/T">T</a> <a href="/health-topics/U">U</a> <a href="/health-topics/V">V</a> <a href="/health-topics/W">W</a> <a href="/health-topics/X">X</a> <a href="/health-topics/Y">Y</a> <a href="/health-topics/Z">Z</a> </li> </ul> </div> </li> <li class="hda-head_menu-row-bar-nav-level-1-item"> <a href="/medicines">Medicines</a> </li> <li class="hda-head_menu-row-bar-nav-level-1-item"> <a href="/symptom-checker">Symptom checker</a> </li> <li class="hda-head_menu-row-bar-nav-level-1-item"> <a href="/australian-health-services">Service finder</a> </li> <li class="hda-head_menu-row-bar-nav-level-1-item desktop-only">  <form id="search-form-node-desktop-mode" class="hda-head_menu-row-node-desktop-mode-search"> <div role="combobox" aria-expanded="false" aria-owns="header-search-suggestions" aria-haspopup="listbox"> <input tabindex="0" id="header-search-desktop-mode" class="hda-head_menu-row-node-desktop-mode-search-field" type="search" autocomplete="off" name="searchterm" placeholder="Search our site" title="Suggestion options" aria-label="Enter your search terms" aria-autocomplete="list"> </div> <ul id="header-search-suggestions" class="dropdown-menu hda-head_menu-row-node-desktop-mode-search-list veyron-search-list" role="listbox" position="position"> <li class="primary-search-list-item" role="option"> <a tabindex="-1" rel="nofollow" href="/search-results/{{url}}">{{label}}</a> </li> </ul> <button tabindex="0" aria-label="search" class="hda-head_menu-row-node-desktop-mode-search-submit veyron-search-lens-btn" type="button"> <i aria-hidden="true" class="hda-head_menu-row-node-desktop-mode-search-icon"></i> </button> </form> <script type="text/javascript"> primarySearch('node-desktop-mode'); </script> </li> </ul> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="hda-head_mobile-screen mobile-only"></div> <nav class="hda-head_mobile-menu mobile-only"> <header>Menu <button class="hda-head_mobile-menu-btn-close">Close <i aria-hidden="true" class="hda-head_mobile-menu-btn-close-icon"></i></button></header> <ul class="hda-head_mobile-menu-lvl-1"> <li> <a href="/">Home <i aria-hidden="true" class="hda-head_mobile-menu-icon"></i></a> </li> <li> <a href="#" data-ga-finder="Top menu,Health topics A-Z,#">Health topics A-Z <i aria-hidden="true" class="hda-head_mobile-menu-icon"></i></a> <ul class="hda-head_mobile-menu-lvl-2"> <li> <a href="/health-topics/conditions">Conditions <i aria-hidden="true" class="hda-head_mobile-menu-icon"></i></a> </li> <li> <a href="/health-topics/symptoms">Symptoms <i aria-hidden="true" class="hda-head_mobile-menu-icon"></i></a> </li> <li> <a href="/health-topics/procedures">Procedures <i aria-hidden="true" class="hda-head_mobile-menu-icon"></i></a> </li> <li> <a href="/life-stages">Life stages <i aria-hidden="true" class="hda-head_mobile-menu-icon"></i></a> </li> <li> <a href="/health-topics">All topics <i aria-hidden="true" class="hda-head_mobile-menu-icon"></i></a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="/medicines">Medicines <i aria-hidden="true" class="hda-head_mobile-menu-icon"></i></a> </li> <li> <a href="/symptom-checker">Symptom checker <i aria-hidden="true" class="hda-head_mobile-menu-icon"></i></a> </li> <li> <a href="/australian-health-services">Service finder <i aria-hidden="true" class="hda-head_mobile-menu-icon"></i></a> </li> </ul> </nav> <script type="text/javascript"> initHeader(); </script>  <script type="text/javascript" src="/assets/711/scripts/idle-session-timeout.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/assets/711/scripts/http-helper.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/assets/711/scripts/auth.js"></script>  </header> <section class="main"> <a id="backToTop"></a> <section class="main_content"> <div class="main_content-col-left"> <div class="floating-header-offset mobile-only" id="socialsharebuttonanchor"></div> <main class="main_content-article-text" id="mainContentArticleText"> <header> <a id="main_content-text"><span class="sr-only">beginning of content</span></a> <h1 class="main_content-title-text">Salt and sodium</h1> <div class="main_content-article-layout_meta_actions"> <p><em>11-minute read</em></p> <span class="rs_do_not_process"> <div class="social-section_share socialshare-node-desktop-mode blog__node-desktop-mode"> <div class="social-section_share-platforms"> <button class="social-section_share-platforms-print veyron-social-share-print-btn"> <i aria-hidden="true" class="social-icon_print"></i> Print </button> <div class="social-section_share-platforms-group"> <button class="social-section_share-platforms-group-btn" aria-haspopup="false" aria-expanded="false"><i aria-hidden="true" class="dor-icon_share"></i> Share</button> <div class="social-section_share-platforms-group-menu"> <div class="social-section_share-platforms-group-menu-tail"></div> <a title="Share this page on Facebook" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/salt"> <i aria-hidden="true" class="social-icon_facebook"></i> <span class="sr-only">share via Facebook</span> </a> <button class="share-email-button veyron-social-share-email-btn"> <i aria-hidden="true" class="social-icon_email"></i> <span class="sr-only">share via Email</span> </button> </div> </div> <script type="text/javascript">async function save(articlePath, baseUrl) { const isLoggedIn = !!localStorage.getItem('access_token'); if(!isLoggedIn) window.location.href = '/account/join?articleId='.concat(articlePath); const saveButton = document.getElementById('save-button'); saveButton.setAttribute('disabled', true); // Get Family detail from an API const myFamilyDetail = await fetch(baseUrl.concat("user/family-member"), { method: 'GET', headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json", "Authorization": localStorage.getItem("access_token"), }, }).then(response => response.json()) .then(famMembers => famMembers.data.find(member => member.attributes.isAccountHolder === true)) .catch(err=> null); if(!myFamilyDetail) { console.error("Unable to find the family member ID") return; }; const hasBeenSaved = await fetch(baseUrl.concat("user/article-save"), { method: 'POST', headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json", "Authorization": localStorage.getItem("access_token"), }, body: JSON.stringify({ data: { type: "article-save", attributes: { linkedArticleId: articlePath, familyMemberId: myFamilyDetail.id, } } }), }).then(response => response.json()) .then(result => !!result.data) if (hasBeenSaved) saveButton.outerHTML = getButtonSaveHtml('saved', articlePath, baseUrl) else window.location.href = '/account/join?articleId='.concat(articlePath); }; async function unsave(articlePath, baseUrl) { const isLoggedIn = !!localStorage.getItem('access_token'); if(!isLoggedIn) window.location.href = '/account/join?articleId='.concat(articlePath); const saveButton = document.getElementById('save-button'); saveButton.setAttribute('disabled', true); const articles = await fetch(baseUrl.concat("user/article-save?linkedArticleId=").concat(articlePath), { method: 'GET', headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json", "Authorization": localStorage.getItem("access_token"), } }).then(response => response.json()) .catch(error => console.log('error', error)); const familyMemberId = articles.included[0].id; const familyMembersArticle = articles.data.find(article => ( article.relationships["family-member"].data.id === familyMemberId && article.attributes.linkedArticleId === articlePath) ); const hasBeenUnsaved = await fetch(baseUrl.concat("user/article-save/").concat(familyMembersArticle.id), { method: 'DELETE', headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json", "Authorization": localStorage.getItem("access_token"), } }).then(response => response.status) .then(result => result === 204) if (hasBeenUnsaved) saveButton.outerHTML = getButtonSaveHtml('unsaved', articlePath, baseUrl) else window.location.href = '/account/join?articleId='.concat(articlePath); }; function getButtonSaveHtml(state, articlePath, baseUrl) { switch (state) { case 'loading': return String.raw` <button id="save-button" disabled class="social-section_share-platforms-heart"> <i aria-hidden="true" class="social-icon_heart"></i> Save</button>` case 'unsaved': return String.raw` <button id="save-button" onclick="save('${articlePath}', '${baseUrl}')" class="social-section_share-platforms-heart"> <i aria-hidden="true" class="social-icon_heart"></i> Save</button>` case 'saved': return String.raw` <button id="save-button" onclick="unsave('${articlePath}', '${baseUrl}')" class="social-section_share-platforms-heart saved"> <i aria-hidden="true" class="social-icon_heart"></i> Saved</button>` } }</script> <button id="save-button" disabled class="social-section_share-platforms-heart"> <i aria-hidden="true" class="social-icon_heart"></i> Save</button> <script> (async () => { const saveButton = document.getElementById('save-button'); let isSaved = 'unsaved'; const isLoggedIn = !!localStorage.getItem('access_token'); if(isLoggedIn) { const result = await fetch("https://prd.uim.hda-online.com.au/" + "user/article-save?linkedArticleId=salt", { method: 'GET', headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json", "Authorization": localStorage.getItem("access_token"), }, }).then(response => response.json()) .then(result => { const articlePath = "salt"; const encodedArticlePath = encodeURIComponent(articlePath); if(result && result.data) { const savedArticle = result.data.find(article => article.attributes.linkedArticleId === encodedArticlePath); return !!savedArticle ? 'saved' : 'unsaved'; } return 'unsaved'; }) .catch(error => console.log('error', error)); isSaved = result; } saveButton.outerHTML = getButtonSaveHtml(isSaved, "salt", "https://prd.uim.hda-online.com.au/") })() </script> <div class="popup-content hidden"> <form name="shareForm" novalidate class="social-section_share-form"> <header class="dor-modal_body-header"> <h2>Share via email</h2> </header> <section class="dor-modal_body-main veyron-global-popup-body-main"> <section class="dor-modal_body-main-notifications"> <div class="form-error-list dor-form_error-area hidden" tabindex="0"> <p>There is a total of <span>5</span> error<span>s</span> on this form, details are below.</p> <ul> <li id="txtNameErrorLabelList" class="hidden"><a href="#txtName">Please enter your name</a></li> <li id="txtFromEmailErrorLabelList" class="hidden"><a href="#txtFromEmail">Please enter your email</a> </li> <li id="txtFromEmailErrorLabel1List" class="hidden"><a href="#txtFromEmail">Your email is invalid. Please check and try again</a></li> <li id="txtToEmailErrorLabelList" class="hidden"><a href="#txtToEmail">Please enter recipient's email</a></li> <li id="txtToEmailErrorLabel1List" class="hidden"><a href="#txtToEmail">Recipient's email is invalid. Please check and try again</a></li> <li id="termsChkErrorLabelList" class="hidden"><a href="#chkTerms">Agree to Terms required</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="dor-form_success-area hidden gaTrackCaptcha-fail" id="recaptcha"> Thank you for sharing our content. A message has been sent to your recipient's email address with a link to the content webpage. </div> </section> <section class="dor-modal_body-main-content"> <div class="dor-form_input-group"> <label id="lblName">Your name: <span class="sr-only">is required</span></label> <p id="txtNameErrorLabel" class="dor-form_input-group-error hidden"><span class="sr-only">Error: </span>This is required</p> <div class="dor-text-input_group"> <i aria-hidden="true" class="dor-icon_user"></i> <input class="dor-text-input_group-txt-input" type="text" id="txtName" name="shareFromName" maxlength="50" aria-labelledby="lblName" aria-describedby="txtNameErrorLabel" aria-invalid="false" required> </div> </div> <div class="dor-form_input-group"> <label id="lblFromEmail">Your email: <span class="sr-only">is required</span></label> <p id="txtFromEmailErrorLabel" class="dor-form_input-group-error hidden"><span class="sr-only">Error: </span>This is required</p> <p id="txtFromEmailErrorLabel1" class="dor-form_input-group-error hidden"><span class="sr-only">Error: </span>Not a valid value</p> <div class="dor-text-input_group"> <i aria-hidden="true" class="dor-icon_envelope"></i> <input class="dor-text-input_group-txt-input" type="email" id="txtFromEmail" name="shareFromEmail" maxlength="50" aria-labelledby="lblFromEmail" aria-describedby="txtFromEmailErrorLabel txtFromEmailErrorLabel1" aria-invalid="false" required data-pattern=^[a-zA-Z0-9.'!#$%&*+/=?^{|}~_-]+(\.[a-zA-Z0-9.'!#$%&*+/=?^{|}~_-]+)*@[a-zA-Z0-9-]+(\.[a-zA-Z0-9-]+)*(\.[a-zA-Z]{2,4})> </div> </div> <div class="dor-form_input-group"> <label id="lblToEmail">Send to: <span class="sr-only"> is required</span></label> <p id="txtToEmailErrorLabel" class="dor-form_input-group-error hidden"><span class="sr-only">Error: </span>This is required</p> <p id="txtToEmailErrorLabel1" class="dor-form_input-group-error hidden"><span class="sr-only">Error: </span>Not a valid value</p> <div class="dor-text-input_group"> <i aria-hidden="true" class="dor-icon_envelope"></i> <input class="dor-text-input_group-txt-input" type="email" id="txtToEmail" name="shareToEmail" aria-labelledby="lblToEmail" maxlength="50" aria-describedby="txtToEmailErrorLabel txtToEmailErrorLabel1" aria-invalid="false" required data-pattern=^[a-zA-Z0-9.'!#$%&*+/=?^{|}~_-]+(\.[a-zA-Z0-9.'!#$%&*+/=?^{|}~_-]+)*@[a-zA-Z0-9-]+(\.[a-zA-Z0-9-]+)*(\.[a-zA-Z]{2,4})> </div> </div> <div class="dor-form_input-group"> <p id="termsChkErrorLabel" class="dor-form_input-group-error hidden"><span class="sr-only">Error: </span>This is required</p> <label id="chkTerms" class="dor-chkrdo_group" aria-describedby="termsChkErrorLabel"> <input id="termsChk" class="checkbox-group-input" type="checkbox" name="terms" required> I have read and agree to the <a href="/terms-of-use" target="_blank">Terms of Use</a> and <a href="/privacy-policy" target="_blank">Privacy Policy</a><span class="sr-only"> is required</span>. <i aria-hidden="true" class="dor-chkrdo_group__off"></i> <i aria-hidden="true" class="dor-chkrdo_group__on"></i> </label> </div> </section> </section> <footer class="dor-modal_body-footer"> <button class="g-recaptcha dor-modal_body-footer-action" type="submit" title="Send to a friend via email" data-sitekey="6LeuO7AbAAAAAFFZKM3tkkJpyASWHzTJ-_fpMK7y" data-callback='onSubmit' data-error-callback='onError' data-size="invisible">Submit</button> </footer> </form> </div> <script type="text/javascript">function onSubmit(token) { sendNotification(); }; function onError(error) {}</script> </div> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> initialiseSocialShare('socialshare-node-desktop-mode', "https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/salt"); </script> </span> </div> <div id="readspeaker_button1" class="rs_skip rsbtn rs_preserve"> <a rel="nofollow" class="rsbtn_play" accesskey="L" title="Listen to this page using ReadSpeaker" href="//app-oc.readspeaker.com/cgi-bin/rsent?customerid=8207&lang=en_au&readid=mainContentArticleText&url=https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/salt"> <span class="rsbtn_left rsimg rspart"><span class="rsbtn_text"><span>Listen</span></span></span> <span class="rsbtn_right rsimg rsplay rspart"></span> </a> </div> </header> <div class="main_content-body-text"><div class="cont_layout-standout"> <h2>Key facts</h2> <ul> <li>Salt is a mineral made from sodium and chloride.</li> <li>Salt is the main source of sodium in the diet.</li> <li>Too much salt can put you at higher risk of health problems.</li> <li>Most Australians are consuming more salt than recommended.</li> <li>Most salt in your diet comes from processed foods, not salt added at the table or during cooking.</li> </ul> </div> <nav class="cont_nav-index-table__double-col"> <h2>On this page</h2> <ul> <li><a href="#what-is">What is salt?</a></li> <li><a href="#important">Why is sodium important for my body?</a></li> <li><a href="#impact">How can sodium impact my health?</a></li> <li><a href="#high">What foods and medicines are high in salt?</a></li> <li><a href="#healthier">Are some types of salt healthier than others?</a></li> <li><a href="#how-much">How much sodium do I need each day?</a></li> <li><a href="#food">How can I find out how much sodium is in my food?</a></li> <li><a href="#convert">How do I convert sodium to salt?</a></li> <li><a href="#reduce">How can I reduce my sodium intake?</a></li> <li><a href="#resources">Resources and support</a></li> <li><a href="#searchGeneralResults">Related information on Australian websites</a></li> </ul> </nav> <h2 id="what-is">What is salt?</h2> <p>Salt has been used to flavour and preserve food for centuries.</p> <p>Salt is a mineral made mostly of sodium chloride.</p> <p>You need sodium for your body to function. However, eating too much salt, and therefore sodium, carries health risks.</p> <p>Most Australians consume more salt (and therefore sodium) than is recommended.</p> <h3>What's the difference between salt and sodium?</h3> <p>Salt is made of sodium chloride — about 40% is sodium.</p> <p>It's the sodium that can be damaging to your health.</p> <h2 id="important">Why is sodium important for my body?</h2> <p>Sodium is important for many body functions, such as:</p> <ul> <li>controlling your blood pressure</li> <li>balancing fluids in your body</li> <li>the proper function of nerves and muscles</li> </ul> <p>Sodium comes into your body from food and drink and is lost in sweat and urine.</p> <h2 id="impact">How can sodium impact my health?</h2> <p>Too much sodium in your diet is linked to <a href="/high-blood-pressure-hypertension">high blood pressure</a>, which can lead to:</p> <ul> <li><a href="/coronary-heart-disease-and-atherosclerosis">heart disease</a></li> <li><a href="/stroke">stroke</a></li> <li><a href="/heart-attack">heart attack</a></li> <li>chronic <a href="/chronic-kidney-disease">kidney disease</a></li> </ul> <p>Generally, a <a href="/balanced-diet">healthy diet</a> provides enough sodium for your body to function without any problems.</p> <p>In some circumstances, sodium levels in your blood can become unbalanced. Your sodium levels are measured in millimoles per litre (mmol/L), with a <a href="/blood-testing">blood test</a>.</p> <h3>Hyponatraemia</h3> <p>Hyponatraemia is when you have too little sodium in your blood (below 135mmol/litre for an adult).</p> <p>It is rarely caused by too little sodium in the diet. Mostly, it is caused by too much sodium being lost from the body, from things like:</p> <ul> <li><a href="/diarrhoea">diarrhoea</a></li> <li><a href="/vomiting">vomiting</a></li> <li><a href="/nausea">nausea</a></li> <li><a href="/excessive-sweating-hyperhidrosis">excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis)</a></li> <li>a <a href="/medicine-and-side-effects">side effect of some medicines</a></li> <li>excess fluids in the body, such as from overconsumption of water or kidney disease</li> </ul> <p>Symptoms of hyponatraemia may include:</p> <ul> <li><a href="/confusion">confusion</a></li> <li>difficulty walking</li> <li><a href="/fatigue">lack of energy</a></li> </ul> <p>Signs of severe hyponatraemia include:</p> <ul> <li><a href="/headaches">headache</a></li> <li>muscle twitching and <a href="/seizures">seizures</a> </li> </ul> <p>Severe hyponatraemia can lead to <a href="/coma">coma</a>.</p> <h3>Hypernatraemia</h3> <p>Hypernatraemia is when you have too much sodium in your blood (more than 145mmol/litre for an adult).</p> <p>It is usually due to excessive loss of water that is not being replaced by <a href="/drinking-water-and-your-health">drinking</a>, or not drinking enough. This is known as <a href="/dehydration">dehydration</a>. The water can be lost through:</p> <ul> <li>vomiting</li> <li>diarrhoea</li> <li>excessive sweating</li> <li>taking certain medicines</li> </ul> <p>Symptoms of hypernatraemia include:</p> <ul> <li>thirst</li> <li>confusion</li> <li><a href="/fatigue">tiredness</a></li> </ul> <p>Severe hypernatraemia may lead to coma or death.</p> <h3>Sodium and exercise</h3> <p>You can lose a lot of fluid and sodium through sweating, which can be caused by:</p> <ul> <li>intense exercise for a long period of time</li> <li>exercising or doing physical work in the heat</li> </ul> <p>To make up for the loss of sodium, some people, such as endurance athletes, may need to consume more sodium than the guidelines suggest.</p> <h2 id="high">What foods and medicines are high in salt?</h2> <p>Most salt in the Australian diet comes from eating processed and packaged foods. This is then followed by salt added at the table or during cooking.</p> <p>Food does not have to taste salty to have high sodium content. For example, sweet biscuits can be high in sodium because of the sodium bicarbonate (baking powder) in them — not from added salt.</p> <p>These foods are typically high in sodium:</p> <ul> <li>packaged and processed 'ready meals'</li> <li>potato crisps and salty snack foods</li> <li>processed meats and meat products</li> <li>burgers and pizza</li> <li>cheese</li> <li>certain sauces, spreads and condiments, such as Vegemite and soy sauce</li> </ul> <p>Some common <a href="/pain-relief-medicines">pain-relief medicines</a> and <a href="/dietary-supplements">vitamin supplements</a> — those that fizz (or are called soluble or dissolvable) when you dissolve them in water — may contain high levels of sodium.</p> <p>Check the packet or <a href="/how-to-read-cmis">Consumer Medicines Information leaflet</a> for the sodium content if you use these regularly.</p> <h2 id="healthier">Are some types of salt healthier than others?</h2> <p>There are different types of salt other than plain table salt, such as:</p> <ul> <li>sea salt</li> <li>pink salt</li> <li>Himalayan salt</li> <li>black salt</li> </ul> <p>Some brands claim to offer health benefits because they contain additional minerals.</p> <p>However, additional minerals may only be present in trace amounts. You're likely to get them from other sources in your diet.</p> <p>Regardless of these claims, all salt contains sodium, which if overconsumed can cause health problems.</p> <h3>Iodised salt</h3> <p>Iodised salt has been fortified with <a href="/iodine">iodine</a>.</p> <p>Iodine is a mineral essential for health. It is important for</p> <ul> <li>making <a href="/thyroid-gland">thyroid hormones</a></li> <li>people who are planning to get pregnant, are <a href="/pregnancy">pregnant or are breastfeeding </a></li> </ul> <p>Too little iodine (iodine deficiency) can impact <a href="/nervous-system">neurological</a> function.</p> <p>Table salt with iodine is widely available. All Australian commercial bread (except organic bread) is made with iodised salt.</p> <h3>Are salt substitutes safe?</h3> <p>Salt substitutes and reduced-sodium salts may not be suitable for everyone.</p> <p>Salt substitutes usually combine sodium chloride with potassium chloride, another mineral. This reduces the amount of sodium in salt used. Many reduced salt foods now contain salt substitutes.</p> <p>You should seek medical advice before using salt substitutes or eating foods with salt substitutes if you:</p> <ul> <li>have kidney problems</li> <li>take non-steroidal <a href="/anti-inflammatory-medicines">anti-inflammatory medicines</a></li> <li>take certain <a href="/blood-pressure-medication">blood pressure medications</a>, including ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, and some diuretics</li> </ul> <p>This is because these salts can lead to increased levels of <a href="/potassium">potassium</a>.</p> <h2 id="how-much">How much sodium do I need each day?</h2> <p>It is recommended that adults have no more than 2,000mg of sodium each day. This is equal to about 5g of salt or 1 teaspoon.</p> <p>Salt is usually measured in grams (g) and sodium in milligrams (mg).</p> <p>This is the amount that may help prevent chronic disease, such as high blood pressure.</p> <p>An adequate amount of sodium per day for adults is 460mg to 920mg (equal to 1.15g to 2.3g of salt per day).</p> <h3>Recommended sodium intake for Australian children</h3> <table> <caption>*Adequate intake is the average level that is estimated to be adequate in healthy children.</caption> <thead> <tr> <th> <strong>Age</strong> </th> <th style="text-align: right;"> <strong>Adequate intake for sodium*</strong> </th> <th style="text-align: right;"> <strong>Salt equivalent weight</strong> </th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td> <span>1-3 years</span> </td> <td style="text-align: right;"> <span>200-400 mg/day</span> </td> <td style="text-align: right;"> <span>0.5-1 g/day</span> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <span>4-8 years</span> </td> <td style="text-align: right;"> <span>300-600 mg/day</span> </td> <td style="text-align: right;"> <span>0.75-1.5 g/day</span> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <span>9-13 years</span> </td> <td style="text-align: right;"> <span>400-800 mg/day</span> </td> <td style="text-align: right;"> <span>1-2 g/day</span> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <span>14-18 years</span> </td> <td style="text-align: right;"> <span>460-920 mg/day</span> </td> <td style="text-align: right;"> <span>1.15-2.3 g/day</span> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <br> <h2 id="food">How can I find out how much sodium is in my food?</h2> <p><a href="/how-to-read-food-labels">Food labels</a> in Australia must list total sodium content. This includes:</p> <ul> <li>naturally occurring sodium</li> <li>sodium from food additives</li> <li>sodium from added salt</li> </ul> <p>They all count towards your daily sodium allowance. The labels must also record all salt and sodium-containing additives in the ingredients list.</p> <p>See the nutrition information panel on the packaging for the:</p> <ul> <li>total amount of sodium you are consuming in the 'per serve' column</li> <li>amount of sodium 'per 100g', which helps you compare the sodium content of similar foods</li> </ul> <p>Australian nutrition experts recommend choosing foods with 400mg of sodium per 100g. Foods labelled 'low salt' are best. These have less than 120mg sodium per 100g.</p> <p>Salts that contain sodium include:</p> <ul> <li>rock salt</li> <li>sea salt</li> <li>celery salt</li> <li>garlic salt</li> <li>onion salt</li> </ul> <p>These ingredients may also indicate high sodium:</p> <ul> <li>baking powder</li> <li>meat</li> <li>yeast extract</li> <li>MSG (monosodium glutamate)</li> <li>sodium bicarbonate</li> <li>sodium nitrate</li> <li>stock cubes</li> </ul> <p>Sodium from any source, not just salt, may carry health risks if overconsumed.</p> <h2 id="convert">How do I convert sodium to salt?</h2> <p>You can convert the amount of sodium in a food into its equivalent weight in salt (sodium chloride).</p> <p>To convert sodium to grams (g) of salt:</p> <ol> <li>take the amount of sodium in milligrams (mg)</li> <li>multiply this by 2.5</li> <li>divide this number by 1,000</li> </ol> <p>For example, 100mg of sodium × 2.5 = 250mg salt divided by 1,000 = 0.25g salt. So, 100mg sodium equates to 0.25g of salt.</p> <p>You can also use the Heart Foundation's <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/sodium-and-salt-converter">sodium and salt converter</a>.</p> <h2 id="reduce">How can I reduce my sodium intake?</h2> <p>More than three-quarters of salt consumed in the Australian diet is from salt added to <a href="/junk-food-and-your-health">processed foods</a>. Avoiding these foods or choosing more wisely can substantially reduce your sodium intake.</p> <p>It's also possible to 'retrain' your taste buds to adapt to having less salt. Reduce your salt intake gradually and after a while, you might not notice the lack of salt.</p> <p>The best place to start is to follow the <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines" target="_blank">Australian Dietary Guidelines</a>, and eat fresh and unprocessed foods, including:</p> <ul> <li>plenty of vegetables</li> <li>fruits</li> <li>whole grains</li> </ul> <p>You can also reduce your sodium intake by:</p> <ul> <li>checking food labels</li> <li>choosing lower-sodium foods, and foods labelled as 'low-salt', 'salt-reduced' or 'no added salt'</li> <li>avoiding adding salt at the table or while cooking</li> <li>using garlic, herbs, spices, lemon juice and vinegars to flavour food instead of salt</li> <li>cooking your own food instead of eating takeaway food and pre-packaged foods</li> <li>avoiding cured and salted processed meats</li> <li>limiting salty snacks</li> </ul> <p>If you want to change your diet, you can speak to your doctor. They can refer you to a dietitian.</p> <p>Dietitians can help you change your diet, while making sure you still get all the nutrients your body needs. An accredited practising dietitian can help you design a healthy eating plan tailored to you.</p> <h2 id="resources">Resources and support</h2> <p>For more information on dietary salt and sodium, speak to your doctor or a dietitian.</p> <p>For more information and resources, you can:</p> <ul> <li>find an accredited practising dietitian at <a href="https://dietitiansaustralia.org.au/" target="_blank">Dietitians Australia</a></li> <li>visit the <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/" target="_blank">Heart Foundation</a></li> <li>visit the <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/" target="_blank">Food Standards Australia New Zealand</a> website</li> <li>Find resources for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples at <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines" target="_blank">eatforhealth.gov.au</a></li> <li>find nutrition resources in languages other than English, at <a href="https://healthtranslations.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcht.nsf/PresentDetail?Open&s=Nutrition_panels_(video)" target="_blank">healthtranslations.vic.gov.au</a></li> </ul> <p>You can also call the healthdirect helpline on <a href="tel:1800022222">1800 022 222</a> (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. </p></div> <footer class="main_content-article-text-footer"> <div> <h4>Source<span>s</span>:</h4> <span> <a href="https://dietitiansaustralia.org.au/" target="_blank" title="Dietitians Australia">Dietitians Australia</a> <em>(Salt)<span></span></em>, <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au" target="_blank" title="Food Standards Australia New Zealand">Food Standards Australia New Zealand</a> <em>(Sodium and salt)<span></span></em>, <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au" target="_blank" title="FSANZ">FSANZ</a> <em>(How much sodium do Australians eat)<span></span></em>, <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/" target="_blank" title="Food Standards Australia New Zealand">Food Standards Australia New Zealand</a> <em>(Iodine Fortification)<span></span></em>, <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/" target="_blank" title="Eat for health">Eat for health</a> <em>(Sodium)<span></span></em>, <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au" target="_blank" title="Eat for Health">Eat for Health</a> <em>(How to understand food labels)<span></span></em>, <a href="https://tgldcdp.tg.org.au/" target="_blank" title="Therapeutic Guidelines">Therapeutic Guidelines</a> <em>(Causes and interpretation of electrolyte disturbances)<span></span></em>, <a href="https://pathologytestsexplained.org.au/" target="_blank" title="Pathology Tests Explained">Pathology Tests Explained</a> <em>(Electrolytes)<span></span></em>, <a href="https://www.sasma.com.au/" target="_blank" title="South Australian Sports Medicine Association">South Australian Sports Medicine Association</a> <em>(Drink Up)<span></span></em>, <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/" target="_blank" title="Heart Foundation">Heart Foundation</a> <em>(9 food and heart health myths, busted)<span></span></em>, <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/getmedia/b115686f-9bfe-4c9b-a0fd-087ebe807d18/" target="_blank" title="Heart Foundation">Heart Foundation</a> <em>(Dietary electrolytes & cardiovascular disease)<span></span></em> </span> </div> </footer> <p>Learn more here about the <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/about-our-content">development and quality assurance of healthdirect content</a>.</p> <p>Last reviewed: December 2023</p> <div class="main_content-back-to-top"><a href="#backToTop"><i class="dor-icon_caret-up"></i><br><span class="tablet-up__inline">Back To </span>Top</a></a></div> </main>  <section class="main_content-links print-hidden"> <section class="related-concept-section"> <h2>Search our site for</h2> <ul> <li> <a class="dor-button__pill-btn" href="/search-results/Diet" title="Search results for:Diet">Diet</a> </li> <li> <a class="dor-button__pill-btn" href="/search-results/Blood Pressure" title="Search results for:Blood Pressure">Blood Pressure</a> </li> </ul> </section> </section>  <section class="main_content-search"> <header> <h2>Need more information?</h2> <p>These trusted information partners have more on this topic.</p> </header> <div class="main_content-general-text"> <div> <div class="main_content-search-results-partners"> <nav class="dor-tabs__2 veyron-search-tabs" role="tablist"> <label class="dor-tabs_item" role="tab" aria-controls="searchGeneralResults" aria-selected="true"> <input type="radio" checked name="tab"> <div class="dor-tabs_item-btn veyron-search-tab-btn">General search results</div> </label> <label class="dor-tabs_item" role="tab" aria-controls="searchProfessionalResults" aria-selected="false"> <input type="radio" name="tab"> <div class="dor-tabs_item-btn veyron-search-tab-btn">Results for medical professionals</div> </label> </nav> <section id="searchGeneralResults" data-total-records="71"> <p>Top results</p> <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/sodium-and-salt-converter" data-partner-url="partners/heart-foundation" class="main_content-search-tile" target="_blank" data-guid="ECM001|097f64ad-1bcf-4bb2-b506-8a9104cfd3db"> <h3>Sodium and salt converter | Heart Foundation</h3> <div class="main_content-search-tile-intro"> <p>Convert the sodium listed on food products into grams of salt or vice versa.</p> </div> <p class="main_content-search-tile-read-more"> <i aria-hidden="true" class="main_content-search-tile-read-more-icon"></i> <i id="read-more">Read more on Heart Foundation website</i></p> <img class="main_content-search-tile-logo" alt="Heart Foundation" src="https://media.healthdirect.org.au/images/logos/h40/Heart-Foundation_logo.png"> </a> <a href="https://pathologytestsexplained.org.au/ptests-pro.php?q=Chloride" data-partner-url="partners/pathology-tests-explained" class="main_content-search-tile" target="_blank" data-guid="ECM001|bc44e452-7f54-4c9b-b6a6-30ca9b83b726"> <h3>Chloride | Pathology Tests Explained</h3> <div class="main_content-search-tile-intro"> <p>Chloride is an electrolyte. When combined with sodium it is mostly found in nature as ‘salt.’ Chloride is important along with sodium, in keeping normal leve</p> </div> <p class="main_content-search-tile-read-more"> <i aria-hidden="true" class="main_content-search-tile-read-more-icon"></i> <i id="read-more">Read more on Pathology Tests Explained website</i></p> <img class="main_content-search-tile-logo" alt="Pathology Tests Explained" src="https://media.healthdirect.org.au/images/logos/h40/ptex-vertical-orientation-colored-600x275px-01-0ae8ba.png"> </a> <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/salt" data-partner-url="partners/better-health-channel" class="main_content-search-tile" target="_blank" data-guid="ECM001|594348b3-631c-4a7c-8c2f-b7cc812eac79"> <h3>Salt - Better Health Channel</h3> <div class="main_content-search-tile-intro"> <p>Too much sodium (salt) can cause high blood pressure and many other health conditions.</p> </div> <p class="main_content-search-tile-read-more"> <i aria-hidden="true" class="main_content-search-tile-read-more-icon"></i> <i id="read-more">Read more on Better Health Channel website</i></p> <img class="main_content-search-tile-logo" alt="Better Health Channel" src="https://media.healthdirect.org.au/images/logos/h40/bhc-rectangle-image-e99950.png"> </a> <a href="https://dietitiansaustralia.org.au/health-advice/salt" data-partner-url="partners/dietitians-australia" class="main_content-search-tile" target="_blank" data-guid="ECM001|3eed40bc-256e-4a6f-98b0-7131f4de3714"> <h3>Salt | Dietitians Australia</h3> <div class="main_content-search-tile-intro"> <p>Salt contains sodium and chloride – both important minerals. But eating too much salt is linked to health problems, and most Australians eat more salt than they need. Here's the best way to cut the amount of salt in your diet.</p> </div> <p class="main_content-search-tile-read-more"> <i aria-hidden="true" class="main_content-search-tile-read-more-icon"></i> <i id="read-more">Read more on Dietitians Australia website</i></p> <img class="main_content-search-tile-logo" alt="Dietitians Australia" src="https://media.healthdirect.org.au/images/logos/h40/dietitians_australia_logo_rgb_72ppi-(1)rendition-574c0b.png"> </a> <a href="https://raisingchildren.net.au/teens/healthy-lifestyle/nutrients/food-labels" data-partner-url="partners/raisingchildren.net.au" class="main_content-search-tile" target="_blank" data-guid="ECM001|378fc9dc-1dc7-4739-9d99-598c7ec9fb69"> <h3>Food labels & nutritional information | Raising Children Network</h3> <div class="main_content-search-tile-intro"> <p>Nutrition information panels on food labels list energy, protein, fat, carbohydrates and sodium. These labels help you make healthy decisions about food.</p> </div> <p class="main_content-search-tile-read-more"> <i aria-hidden="true" class="main_content-search-tile-read-more-icon"></i> <i id="read-more">Read more on raisingchildren.net.au website</i></p> <img class="main_content-search-tile-logo" alt="raisingchildren.net.au" src="https://media.healthdirect.org.au/images/logos/h40/raising-children_logo-f6777f.png"> </a> <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/fat-salt-sugars-and-alcohol/salt" data-partner-url="partners/nhmrc-national-health-and-medical-research-council" class="main_content-search-tile" target="_blank" data-guid="ECM001|c5d53175-9bef-43ae-a632-e011f54f4aeb"> <h3>Salt | Eat For Health</h3> <div class="main_content-search-tile-intro"> <p>You need some salt for good health, but most people eat too much. Australians now eat more salt than ever before. Eating too much salt may increase the risk of developing high blood pressure which is a risk factor for heart disease, stroke and chronic kidney disease. Salt eaten in Australia mostly comes from processed and packaged foods, not just the salt added during cooking or at the table.</p> </div> <p class="main_content-search-tile-read-more"> <i aria-hidden="true" class="main_content-search-tile-read-more-icon"></i> <i id="read-more">Read more on NHMRC – National Health and Medical Research Council website</i></p> <img class="main_content-search-tile-logo" alt="NHMRC – National Health and Medical Research Council" src="https://media.healthdirect.org.au/images/logos/h40/nhmrc_stackedcrest_blue-998b11.png"> </a> <a href="https://livelighter.com.au/eating-well/healthy-eating/salt" data-partner-url="partners/livelighter" class="main_content-search-tile" target="_blank" data-guid="ECM001|16def975-fde6-45a8-ab48-3a6c2a840692"> <h3>LiveLighter - Tips to Cut Back on Salt</h3> <div class="main_content-search-tile-intro"> <p>Our bodies need some salt to function, but we need to be careful how much we eat. Too much salt can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Check out our top tips to cut back on salt today.</p> </div> <p class="main_content-search-tile-read-more"> <i aria-hidden="true" class="main_content-search-tile-read-more-icon"></i> <i id="read-more">Read more on LiveLighter website</i></p> <img class="main_content-search-tile-logo" alt="LiveLighter" src="https://media.healthdirect.org.au/images/logos/h40/LiveLighter_logo.png"> </a> <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/fat-salt-sugars-and-alcohol" data-partner-url="partners/nhmrc-national-health-and-medical-research-council" class="main_content-search-tile" target="_blank" data-guid="ECM001|19a9e341-6427-4974-b6d3-5a4db4057b0e"> <h3>Fat, salt, sugars and alcohol | Eat For Health</h3> <div class="main_content-search-tile-intro"> <p>Guideline 3 recommends we limit intake of foods containing saturated fat, added salt, added sugars and alcohol</p> </div> <p class="main_content-search-tile-read-more"> <i aria-hidden="true" class="main_content-search-tile-read-more-icon"></i> <i id="read-more">Read more on NHMRC – National Health and Medical Research Council website</i></p> <img class="main_content-search-tile-logo" alt="NHMRC – National Health and Medical Research Council" src="https://media.healthdirect.org.au/images/logos/h40/nhmrc_stackedcrest_blue-998b11.png"> </a> <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/healthy-living/healthy-eating/salt-and-heart-health" data-partner-url="partners/heart-foundation" class="main_content-search-tile" target="_blank" data-guid="ECM001|fb5c8a2e-e0a7-4d55-90fd-097f808bef7d"> <h3>Is salt bad for your heart? | Heart Foundation</h3> <div class="main_content-search-tile-intro"> <p>Most Australians are eating more than the recommended amounts and this can cause health problems.</p> </div> <p class="main_content-search-tile-read-more"> <i aria-hidden="true" class="main_content-search-tile-read-more-icon"></i> <i id="read-more">Read more on Heart Foundation website</i></p> <img class="main_content-search-tile-logo" alt="Heart Foundation" src="https://media.healthdirect.org.au/images/logos/h40/Heart-Foundation_logo.png"> </a> <a href="https://mydr.com.au/nutrition-weight/bread-in-the-diet/" data-partner-url="partners/mydr" class="main_content-search-tile" target="_blank" data-guid="ECM001|50ea88a4-a283-4bdd-ac28-8b3ad5539243"> <h3>Should we reconsider bread in our diet? - myDr.com.au</h3> <div class="main_content-search-tile-intro"> <p>Breads can include various grains and seeds, and there are many things to look out for when choosing bread, such as the flour, GI, salt and additives.</p> </div> <p class="main_content-search-tile-read-more"> <i aria-hidden="true" class="main_content-search-tile-read-more-icon"></i> <i id="read-more">Read more on MyDoctor website</i></p> <img class="main_content-search-tile-logo" alt="MyDoctor" src="https://media.healthdirect.org.au/images/logos/h40/mydoctor-new_logo-1f39cc.png"> </a> <section class="main_content-search-show-more "> <button class="main_content-search-show-more-btn" title="Show more search results" rel="nofollow">Show more</button> <i aria-hidden="true" class="main_content-search-show-more-loading"></i> </section> </section> <section id="searchProfessionalResults" class="hidden" data-total-records="15"> <p>Top results</p> <a href="https://pathologytestsexplained.org.au/ptests-pro.php?q=Chloride" data-partner-url="partners/pathology-tests-explained" class="main_content-search-tile" target="_blank" data-guid="ECM001|bc44e452-7f54-4c9b-b6a6-30ca9b83b726"> <h3>Chloride | Pathology Tests Explained</h3> <div class="main_content-search-tile-intro"> <p>Chloride is an electrolyte. When combined with sodium it is mostly found in nature as ‘salt.’ Chloride is important along with sodium, in keeping normal leve</p> </div> <p class="main_content-search-tile-read-more"><i aria-hidden="true" class="main_content-search-tile-read-more-icon"></i> Read more on Pathology Tests Explained website</p> <img class="main_content-search-tile-logo" alt="Pathology Tests Explained" src="https://media.healthdirect.org.au/images/logos/h40/ptex-vertical-orientation-colored-600x275px-01-0ae8ba.png"> </a> <a href="https://pathologytestsexplained.org.au/ptests-pro.php?q=Mercury" data-partner-url="partners/pathology-tests-explained" class="main_content-search-tile" target="_blank" data-guid="ECM001|43e02c29-85e2-447c-983a-b9ff70ada94d"> <h3>Mercury | Pathology Tests Explained</h3> <div class="main_content-search-tile-intro"> <p>Mercury is an element that exists in three forms: as a free metallic (liquid or vapour), an inorganic compound (mercury salt), and as a variety of organic co</p> </div> <p class="main_content-search-tile-read-more"><i aria-hidden="true" class="main_content-search-tile-read-more-icon"></i> Read more on Pathology Tests Explained website</p> <img class="main_content-search-tile-logo" alt="Pathology Tests Explained" src="https://media.healthdirect.org.au/images/logos/h40/ptex-vertical-orientation-colored-600x275px-01-0ae8ba.png"> </a> <a href="https://pathologytestsexplained.org.au/ptests-pro.php?q=Sodium" data-partner-url="partners/pathology-tests-explained" class="main_content-search-tile" target="_blank" data-guid="ECM001|95b5475c-39e5-472e-92db-ee186e24a268"> <h3>Sodium | Pathology Tests Explained</h3> <div class="main_content-search-tile-intro"> <p>This test measures the level of sodium in blood. Sodium is an electrolyte present in all body fluids and is vital to normal body function. It works to regula</p> </div> <p class="main_content-search-tile-read-more"><i aria-hidden="true" class="main_content-search-tile-read-more-icon"></i> Read more on Pathology Tests Explained website</p> <img class="main_content-search-tile-logo" alt="Pathology Tests Explained" src="https://media.healthdirect.org.au/images/logos/h40/ptex-vertical-orientation-colored-600x275px-01-0ae8ba.png"> </a> <a href="https://pathologytestsexplained.org.au/ptests-pro.php?q=Renin" data-partner-url="partners/pathology-tests-explained" class="main_content-search-tile" target="_blank" data-guid="ECM001|5378cb24-7d7a-420b-b8ab-643282edfbe9"> <h3>Renin | Pathology Tests Explained</h3> <div class="main_content-search-tile-intro"> <p>Aldosterone is a hormone that regulates the retention of sodium (salt) and water by the kidney and also regulates the excretion of potassium. It plays an important role in the control of blood pressure.</p> </div> <p class="main_content-search-tile-read-more"><i aria-hidden="true" class="main_content-search-tile-read-more-icon"></i> Read more on Pathology Tests Explained website</p> <img class="main_content-search-tile-logo" alt="Pathology Tests Explained" src="https://media.healthdirect.org.au/images/logos/h40/ptex-vertical-orientation-colored-600x275px-01-0ae8ba.png"> </a> <a href="https://pathologytestsexplained.org.au/ptests-pro.php?q=Electrolytes" data-partner-url="partners/pathology-tests-explained" class="main_content-search-tile" target="_blank" data-guid="ECM001|ca9338c6-cf85-44b1-a266-3471dca9894a"> <h3>Electrolytes | Pathology Tests Explained</h3> <div class="main_content-search-tile-intro"> <p>Electrolytes are minerals that are found in body tissues and blood in the form of dissolved salts. As electrically charged particles, electrolytes help move</p> </div> <p class="main_content-search-tile-read-more"><i aria-hidden="true" class="main_content-search-tile-read-more-icon"></i> Read more on Pathology Tests Explained website</p> <img class="main_content-search-tile-logo" alt="Pathology Tests Explained" src="https://media.healthdirect.org.au/images/logos/h40/ptex-vertical-orientation-colored-600x275px-01-0ae8ba.png"> </a> <a href="https://www.ausmed.com/learn/articles/siadh" data-partner-url="partners/ausmed-education" class="main_content-search-tile" target="_blank" data-guid="ECM001|a1f31164-6aa5-454f-ad0c-e61b55681dfe"> <h3>SIADH | Ausmed</h3> <div class="main_content-search-tile-intro"> <p>Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) is a condition where the body creates excessive amounts of the antidiuretic hormone (ADH). In SIADH, there is an impaired ability to excrete water through urine output, which disturbs the body’s salt balance and causes hyponatraemia.</p> </div> <p class="main_content-search-tile-read-more"><i aria-hidden="true" class="main_content-search-tile-read-more-icon"></i> Read more on Ausmed Education website</p> <img class="main_content-search-tile-logo" alt="Ausmed Education" src="https://media.healthdirect.org.au/images/logos/h40/ausmed-new-logo-872e67.png"> </a> <a href="https://pathologytestsexplained.org.au/ptests-pro.php?q=17-Hydroxyprogesterone" data-partner-url="partners/pathology-tests-explained" class="main_content-search-tile" target="_blank" data-guid="ECM001|a9ba14a0-7dc8-492f-ac04-97d02de5029c"> <h3>17-Hydroxyprogesterone | Pathology Tests Explained</h3> <div class="main_content-search-tile-intro"> <p>17-OHP is steroid hormone produced by the adrenal gland as part of the process of making the important hormone cortisol. Several enzymes are required for thi</p> </div> <p class="main_content-search-tile-read-more"><i aria-hidden="true" class="main_content-search-tile-read-more-icon"></i> Read more on Pathology Tests Explained website</p> <img class="main_content-search-tile-logo" alt="Pathology Tests Explained" src="https://media.healthdirect.org.au/images/logos/h40/ptex-vertical-orientation-colored-600x275px-01-0ae8ba.png"> </a> <a href="https://pathologytestsexplained.org.au/ptests-pro.php?q=Osmolality" data-partner-url="partners/pathology-tests-explained" class="main_content-search-tile" target="_blank" data-guid="ECM001|40a8110b-afae-412b-9104-d3cd3089e51f"> <h3>Osmolality | Pathology Tests Explained</h3> <div class="main_content-search-tile-intro"> <p>Osmolality is a measure of the number of particles dissolved in a kilogram of fluid.Osmolarity is the number of particles in a litre of flu</p> </div> <p class="main_content-search-tile-read-more"><i aria-hidden="true" class="main_content-search-tile-read-more-icon"></i> Read more on Pathology Tests Explained website</p> <img class="main_content-search-tile-logo" alt="Pathology Tests Explained" src="https://media.healthdirect.org.au/images/logos/h40/ptex-vertical-orientation-colored-600x275px-01-0ae8ba.png"> </a> <a href="https://www.ausmed.com/learn/articles/glomerulonephritis" data-partner-url="partners/ausmed-education" class="main_content-search-tile" target="_blank" data-guid="ECM001|348cafd3-22b0-43ee-be8b-fec3758c39b4"> <h3>Glomerulonephritis | Ausmed Article</h3> <div class="main_content-search-tile-intro"> <p>Glomerulonephritis causes acute or chronic damage to the kidney, and in some cases, may lead to kidney failure. This Article will look at the presentation, diagnosis and management of glomerulonephritis.</p> </div> <p class="main_content-search-tile-read-more"><i aria-hidden="true" class="main_content-search-tile-read-more-icon"></i> Read more on Ausmed Education website</p> <img class="main_content-search-tile-logo" alt="Ausmed Education" src="https://media.healthdirect.org.au/images/logos/h40/ausmed-new-logo-872e67.png"> </a> <a href="https://www.ausmed.com/learn/articles/kidney-stones" data-partner-url="partners/ausmed-education" class="main_content-search-tile" target="_blank" data-guid="ECM001|58a3740e-b10d-4306-bfbb-d6fc7956108d"> <h3>Kidney Stones | Ausmed</h3> <div class="main_content-search-tile-intro"> <p>Kidney stones are one of the most common urinary tract disorders, affecting between 4 and 8% of the Australian population at any given time.</p> </div> <p class="main_content-search-tile-read-more"><i aria-hidden="true" class="main_content-search-tile-read-more-icon"></i> Read more on Ausmed Education website</p> <img class="main_content-search-tile-logo" alt="Ausmed Education" src="https://media.healthdirect.org.au/images/logos/h40/ausmed-new-logo-872e67.png"> </a> <section class="main_content-search-show-more "> <button class="main_content-search-show-more-btn" title="Show more search results" rel="nofollow">Show more</button> <i aria-hidden="true" class="main_content-search-show-more-loading"></i> </section> </section> </div> </div> </div> <div class="partner-popup-content hidden"> <header class="dor-modal_body-header"><h2>Disclaimer</h2></header> <div class="dor-modal_body-main veyron-global-popup-body-main"> <div class="dor-modal_body-main-content"> <p>Healthdirect Australia is not responsible for the content and advertising on the external website you are now entering.</p> </div> </div> <footer class="dor-modal_body-footer"> <a target="_blank" class="main-action main-action__link" role="button"><button class="dor-modal_body-footer-action">OK</button></a> </footer> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> HDW.partnerResults = JSON.parse('{\"localContentConfig\":{\"PBB\":{\"logo\":\"PBB_logo.png\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au\/\",\"name\":\"Pregnancy, Birth & Baby\"},\"MHC\":{\"logo\":\"MHC_logo.png\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mindhealthconnect.org.au\/\",\"name\":\"mindhealthconnect\"},\"HIN\":{\"logo\":\"healthdirect_logo.png\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.healthdirect.gov.au\/\",\"name\":\"healthdirect\"},\"HCW\":{\"logo\":\"healthdirect_logo.png\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/about.healthdirect.gov.au\/\",\"name\":\"healthdirect\"}}}') initArticleSearchResults(JSON.parse('{\"general\":\"\/api\/search\/content\/general?wt=json&f.partner.facet.limit=-1&f.partner.facet.sort=count&rows=10&start=0&channel=HIN&q=Salt%20AND%20Sodium&fq=document_channel%3A(%22HIN%22%20OR%20%22PBB%22%20OR%20%22MHC%22%20OR%20%22HCW%22)&fq=!canonical_channel%3A%22HIN%22&fq=(canonical_channel%3A%5B*%20TO%20*%5D%20OR%20content_type%3A%22hdaptn%3ApartnerContent%22)&fq=audience_en%3A(%22Consumers%22%20OR%20%22Carers%22)\",\"professional\":\"\/api\/search\/content\/keyword?wt=json&f.partner.facet.limit=-1&f.partner.facet.sort=count&rows=10&start=0&channel=HIN&q=Salt%20AND%20Sodium&fq=!partner%3A%22healthdirect%22&fq=audience_en%3A%22Health%20Professionals%22\"}')); </script> </section> </div> <aside class="main_content-col-right print-hidden"> <div class="tablet-up"> <section class="related-concept-section"> <h2>Search our site for</h2> <ul> <li> <a class="dor-button__pill-btn" href="/search-results/Diet" title="Search results for:Diet">Diet</a> </li> <li> <a class="dor-button__pill-btn" href="/search-results/Blood Pressure" title="Search results for:Blood Pressure">Blood Pressure</a> </li> </ul> </section> <section class="widget-sym" data-ng-show="symptom" data-semantic-links="semanticLinks" layout="sidebar"> <h2>Symptom checker</h2> <p><strong>Worried about your health?</strong></p><p>Select a symptom, answer some questions, get advice.</p> <a class="widget-sym-btn" href="/symptom-checker/tool?symptom=GNRC" title="Check symptoms">Start Your Symptom Check</a> </section> <section class="hsf-panel-node-sidebar-mode veyron-search-by-service-panel "> <form data-old-class="hsf-form" name="serviceFinderForm" novalidate=""> <fieldset class="hsf-form_services"> <legend class="sr-only">service category</legend> <h2>Find a health service</h2> <section class="dor-form_error-area veyron-hsf-panel-error-list hidden" id="hadLocationErrors"> <ul> <li>Please enter a suburb or postcode of your location and select from the list.</li> <li>Unable to find your location. Please enter manually below.</li> <li>Location not found.</li> </ul> </section> <div class="hsf-form_services-cols" data-old-class="widget-hsf_content-col"> <label class="dor-chkrdo_group " > <input class="widget-hsf_content-col-rdo veyron-service-type-default" type="radio" name="selectedServiceType" data-service-name="GP (General practice)" value="aht-11222" checked="checked"> GP (General practice) <i aria-hidden="true" class="dor-chkrdo_group__off"></i> <i aria-hidden="true" class="dor-chkrdo_group__on"></i> </label> <label class="dor-chkrdo_group " > <input class="widget-hsf_content-col-rdo veyron-service-type-default" type="radio" name="selectedServiceType" data-service-name="Pharmacy" value="aht-12243" > Pharmacy <i aria-hidden="true" class="dor-chkrdo_group__off"></i> <i aria-hidden="true" class="dor-chkrdo_group__on"></i> </label> <label class="dor-chkrdo_group " > <input class="widget-hsf_content-col-rdo veyron-service-type-default" type="radio" name="selectedServiceType" data-service-name="Emergency Departments" value="aht-10968" > Emergency Departments <i aria-hidden="true" class="dor-chkrdo_group__off"></i> <i aria-hidden="true" class="dor-chkrdo_group__on"></i> </label> <label class="dor-chkrdo_group " > <input class="widget-hsf_content-col-rdo veyron-service-type-default" type="radio" name="selectedServiceType" data-service-name="Hospitals" value="aht-11440" > Hospitals <i aria-hidden="true" class="dor-chkrdo_group__off"></i> <i aria-hidden="true" class="dor-chkrdo_group__on"></i> </label> <p><a href="/australian-health-services">Need more services?</a></p> </div> </fieldset> <fieldset class="hsf-form_location veyron-hsf-panel-location"> <legend class="sr-only">enter a location</legend> <section class="dor-form_error-area veyron-hsf-panel-error-list hidden" id="hadLocationErrors"> <ul> <li>Please enter a suburb or postcode of your location and select from the list.</li> <li>Unable to find your location. Please enter manually below.</li> <li>Location not found.</li> </ul> </section> <div> <label>Enter a location</label>   <div class="hsf-form_location-input-group" data-old-class="widget-hsf_content-col-start-location"> <i aria-hidden="true" class="hsf-form_location-input-group-spinner veyron-hsf-panel-spinner"></i> <i aria-hidden="true" class="hsf-form_location-input-group-icon"></i> <input class="hsf-form_location-input-group-txt veyron-hsf-panel-location-input" placeholder="Enter postcode or town" type="search" role="combobox" aria-label="Enter a location" aria-describedby="hadLocationErrors" aria-haspopup="true" autocomplete="off" name="locationText" aria-expanded="false" aria-invalid="false" required="" id="search-location-node-sidebar-mode"> <ul class="hsf-form_location-input-group-auto-suggest veyron-hsf-panel-location-auto-suggest-list"> <li class="location-list-item veyron-hsf-panel-location-list-item" data-veyron-click="" tabindex="0" data-url="{{url}}" >{{prefLabel}}</li> </ul> </div> <label class="dor-chkrdo_group"> <input class="veyron-hsf-panel-use-current-location-checkbox" type="checkbox">Use current location <i aria-hidden="true" class="dor-chkrdo_group__off"></i> <i aria-hidden="true" class="dor-chkrdo_group__on"></i> </label> <button class="hsf-form_location-btn veyron-hsf-panel-search-btn" name="search">Search</button>  </div> </fieldset> </form> </section> <script type="text/javascript"> initHsfPanel('hsf-panel-node-sidebar-mode' ); </script> </div> <section class="main_content-article-helper mobile-only"> <a class="main_content-article-helper-sym" href="/symptom-checker/tool?symptom=GNRC">Check your symptoms</a> <a class="main_content-article-helper-hsf" href="/australian-health-services">Find a health service</a> </section> </aside> </section> </section> <script type="text/javascript"> (function () { var mainContent = ƒ1('.main_content'); var mainContentView = ƒ1('.main_content-article-text', mainContent); var readMoreButton = ƒ1('.main_content-article-btn-read-full', mainContent); if(readMoreButton){ readMoreButton.bind('click', function(){ readMoreButton.hide(); mainContentView.addClass('main_content-article-text__is-full-view'); }); } processAngularFilters(mainContentView); })(); </script> <div class="veyron-sc-hsf-action-nav"> <section class="content_hotline"> <h1 class="sr-only">Healthdirect 24hr 7 days a week hotline</h1> <div class="content_hotline-container"> <p>24 hour health advice you can count on</p> <p><a class="content_hotline-phone" href="tel:1800022222" data-ng-click="hotlineClicked()"><i aria-hidden="true" class="content_hotline-phone-icon"></i> 1800 022 222</a></p> </div> </section> </div> <section class="content_partners veyron-partner-strap-ui"> <h1 class="sr-only">Government Accredited with over 140 information partners</h1> <img class="content_partners-hda-logo" src="/assets/images/logo-hda.svg" alt="Healthdirect logo"> <p>We are a government-funded service, providing quality, approved health information and advice</p> <div> <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="/assets/images/logo-gov-dep-health.png" alt="Australian Government, health department logo"></a> <a href="https://www.health.act.gov.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="/assets/images/logo-gov-act.png" alt="ACT Government logo"></a> <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="/assets/images/logo-gov-nsw-health.png" alt="New South Wales government, health department logo"></a> <a href="https://www.health.nt.gov.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="/assets/images/logo-gov-nt.png" alt="Northen Territory Government logo"></a> <a href="https://www.health.qld.gov.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="/assets/images/logo-gov-qld.png" alt="Queensland Government logo"></a> <a href="https://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="/assets/images/logo-gov-sa.png" alt="Government of South Australia, health department logo"></a> <a href="https://www.health.tas.gov.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="/assets/images/logo-gov-tas.png" alt="Tasmanian government logo"></a> <a href="https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="/assets/images/logo-gov-vic.png" alt="Victorian government logo"></a> <a href="https://ww2.health.wa.gov.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="/assets/images/logo-gov-wa.png" alt="Government of Western Australia, health department logo"></a> </div> </section> <footer class="hda-foot"> <div class="hda-foot_container"> <div class="grid-row"> <div class="hda-foot_col-about"> <h2>About</h2> <ul> <li> <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/how-healthdirect-can-help-you" rel="noopener">How we can help</a> </li> <li><a href="/health-app">Our mobile app</a></li> <li><a href="/linking-to-us" target="_blank">Linking to us</a></li> <li><a href="/information-partners">Information partners</a></li> <li> <a href="https://healthdirect-serviceline.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/3/create/13" >Register your service</a > </li> <li><a href="/terms-of-use">Terms of use</a></li> <li><a href="/privacy-policy">Privacy</a></li> <li><a href="/contact-us">Contact us</a></li> <li><a href="https://about.healthdirect.gov.au/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">About us</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="hda-foot_col-discover"> <h2>Discover</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/blog">Blog</a></li> <li><a href="/bmi-calculator">BMI calculator</a></li> <li><a href="/health-and-wellbeing-apps">Health apps</a></li> <li><a href="/medicines">Medicines</a></li> <li><a href="/australian-health-services">Service finder</a></li> <li><a href="/symptom-checker">Symptom checker</a></li> <li><a href="/question-builder">Question builder</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="hda-foot_col-language"> <h2>Resources in your language</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/ar/resources-in-arabic">Arabic عربى</a></li> <li><a href="/bn/resources-in-bengali">বাংলা Bengali</a></li> <li><a href="/zh-hans/resources-in-chinese-simplified">简体中文 Chinese Simplified</a></li> <li><a href="/zh-hant/resources-in-chinese-traditional">繁體中文 Chinese Traditional</a></li> <li><a href="/vi/resources-in-vietnamese">Tiếng Việt Vietnamese</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="hda-foot_col-social-app"> <p> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/healthdirect-check-symptoms/id1021494621?ls=1&mt=8" rel="noopener" > <img class="hda-foot_col-social-app-store-img" src="/assets/images/app-apple-store.png" alt="download from the App store"/></a > <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.org.healthdirect.healthdirectapp" rel="noopener" > <img class="hda-foot_col-social-app-store-img" src="/assets/images/app-google-play.png" alt="download from google play"/></a > </p> <p>          <a aria-label="link to facebook page" class="hda-foot_col-social-app-follow-icon" href="https://www.facebook.com/healthdirectaus/" target="_blank" ><i aria-hidden="true" class="social-icon_facebook"></i ></a> <a aria-label="link to instagram page" class="hda-foot_col-social-app-follow-icon" href="https://www.instagram.com/healthdirectaus" target="_blank" ><i aria-hidden="true" class="social-icon_insta"></i ></a> <a aria-label="link to linked-in page" class="hda-foot_col-social-app-follow-icon" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/healthdirect-australia" target="_blank" ><i aria-hidden="true" class="social-icon_linkedin"></i ></a> </p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="hda-foot_container"> <div class="grid-row"> <p> healthdirect's information and advice are developed and managed within a rigorous <a href="https://about.healthdirect.gov.au/clinical-governance" rel="noopener" target="_blank" >clinical governance framework</a >. </p> <p> <small >This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google <a href="https://policies.google.com/privacy" target="_blank">Privacy Policy</a> and <a href="https://policies.google.com/terms" target="_blank">Terms of Service</a> apply. </small> </p> </div> </div> </footer> <div class="hda-foot_acknowledge"> <p> Healthdirect Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners and to Elders both past and present. </p> <p class="hda-foot_copyright"> © 2024 Healthdirect Australia Limited </p> </div> <div class="veyron-global-popup hidden"> <div class="veyron-global-disable-screen dor-modal_screen"></div> <div class="dor-modal_body veyron-global-popup-body"> <div class="veyron-global-popup-container"> </div> <button class="dor-modal_body-exit"> <i class="dor-icon_cross"></i> </button> </div> </div>  <div class="veyron-legacy-browser-msg-popup-content hidden"> <header class="dor-modal_body-header"> <h2>Support for this browser is being discontinued</h2> </header> <section class="dor-modal_body-main veyron-global-popup-body-main"> <section class="dor-form_error-area"> <p>Support for this browser is being discontinued for this site</p> <ul> <li>Internet Explorer 11 and lower</li> </ul> </section> <section class="dor-modal_body-main cont"> <p>We currently support Microsoft Edge, Chrome, Firefox and Safari. For more information, please visit the links below:</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.google.com.au/chrome/">Chrome by Google</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new">Firefox by Mozilla</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge">Microsoft Edge</a></li> <li><a href="https://support.apple.com/en_AU/downloads/safari">Safari by Apple</a></li> </ul> <p>You are welcome to continue browsing this site with this browser. Some features, tools or interaction may not work correctly.</p> </section> </section> <footer class="dor-modal_body-footer"> <button class="dor-modal_body-footer-action veyron-popup-ok">Continue</button> </footer> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> function supportedIE() { var ua = window.navigator.userAgent; // Test values; Uncomment to check result … // IE 10 // ua = 'Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; MSIE 10.0; Windows NT 6.2; Trident/6.0)'; // IE 11 // ua = 'Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.3; Trident/7.0; rv:11.0) like Gecko'; // Edge 12 (Spartan) // ua = 'Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; WOW64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/39.0.2171.71 Safari/537.36 Edge/12.0'; // Edge 13 // ua = 'Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/46.0.2486.0 Safari/537.36 Edge/13.10586'; var msie = ua.indexOf('MSIE '); if (msie > 0) { // IE 10 or older => return version number // return parseInt(ua.substring(msie + 5, ua.indexOf('.', msie)), 10); return false; } var trident = ua.indexOf('Trident/'); if (trident > 0) { // IE 11 => return version number // var rv = ua.indexOf('rv:'); // return parseInt(ua.substring(rv + 3, ua.indexOf('.', rv)), 10); return false; } var edge = ua.indexOf('Edge/'); if (edge > 0) { // Edge (IE 12+) => return version number // return parseInt(ua.substring(edge + 5, ua.indexOf('.', edge)), 10); return true; } // other browser return true; } function loadLegacyPopup() { var alreadyActiveSession = localStorage.getItem('isSessionActive'); // check for active session and or user logged in if(!alreadyActiveSession && !supportedIE()){ // user has alread visited clicked on continue where localStorage isSessionActive is set var ƒ = window['ƒ']; var ƒ1 = window['ƒ1']; var popupContainer = ƒ.openPopup(); var PopupContent = ƒ1('.veyron-legacy-browser-msg-popup-content').clone(); popupContainer.innerHTML = PopupContent.innerHTML; var continueBtn = ƒ1('.veyron-popup-ok', popupContainer); setTimeout(ƒ.setPopupHeight(), 0); continueBtn.bind('click', function(){ ƒ.closePopup(); localStorage.setItem('isSessionActive', 'Visited'); }); } } loadLegacyPopup(); </script> <div id="veyron-throbber" class="hidden"> <div class="dor-throbber_screen"></div> <div class="dor-throbber_body">  <div class="dor-throbber_body-container"> <div class="dor-throbber_body-container-rect1"></div> <div class="dor-throbber_body-container-rect2"></div> <div class="dor-throbber_body-container-rect3"></div> <div class="dor-throbber_body-container-rect4"></div> <div class="dor-throbber_body-container-rect5"></div> <div class="dor-throbber_body-container-rect6"></div> </div> </div> </div> <script type="text/javascript" src="/components/veyron/bootstrapper.js"></script> </body> </html>

CINXE.COM

Salt and sodium - how to reduce intake | healthdirect