In response to some feedback and confusion around Food Additives, RNH is pleased to present a 5-part series explaining just what food additives are, what they do, and the potential health issues they may present.
Today we’re exploring part 4: Sodium.
One of the most overconsumed food additives is salt, often seen as sodium on food labels.
Currently, the average Australian’s salt intake is 9-10g of salt, almost double the recommended upper limit of 5g of salt or 2000mg of sodium per day!
Higher levels of intake are associated with high blood pressure, which is linked to heart disease, stroke, heart attack, kidney disease, and some cancers.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) found that the leading causes of death of Australian men and women in 2023 was Coronary Heart Disease, a condition following damage to the arteries and veins which carry blood around the body, and Dementia including Alzheimer’s Disease, a condition of the brain which occurs as brain cells become damaged.
Both conditions, in their development and worsening progression, are strongly associated by long term high blood pressure.
Reducing our salt is therefore critical to the health of ourselves and our nation.
Approximately only 20% of salt intake comes from salt we add to foods, meaning that 80% is found in the processed foods we eat such as snack foods, processed meats like sausage, salami, and pre-packaged sauces and condiments.
To know how much sodium is in a product, look at the nutritional label and aim to consume foods with less than 120mg of sodium per 100g.