The good news is you don’t have to cut it out completely or eat bland meals to reduce your intake. A few small changes can make a real difference over time.
Why salt matters for heart health
Salt contains sodium, and sodium plays a role in how your body balances fluid. But when you regularly have too much, it can contribute to high blood pressure in some people. High blood pressure puts extra strain on the heart and blood vessels, which is why salt often gets mentioned in heart health conversations.
This doesn’t mean you need to panic every time you eat a slice of pizza. It just means it’s worth being aware of where most of your salt is coming from – and making a few easy swaps when you can.
Where most salt comes from
Many people assume the salt we add to our food is the main culprit, but for most of us, the bigger issue is ‘hidden salt’ in everyday foods.
Biggest ‘hidden’ salt foods include:
- Bread and bread rolls
- Some breakfast cereals
- Crackers, rice crackers and crispbreads
- Sauces and condiments (soy sauce, pasta sauce, BBQ sauce, chutney, gravy)
- Packet soups and instant noodles
- Deli meats and processed meats (ham, bacon, salami, chicken slices)
- Cheese (including cottage cheese and feta)
- Frozen meals and “heat and eat” foods
- Takeaway foods (pizza, burgers, chips, wraps)
- Snack foods (chips, flavoured nuts, popcorn, savoury biscuits)
Sneaky ones people often forget include:
- Tinned vegetables and legumes (unless they state ‘no added salt’)
- Tinned tuna and salmon – look for ‘spring water’ varieties rather than those packed in brine.
- Stock cubes and liquid stock
- Store-bought salad dressings
- Flavoured yoghurts (some can be surprisingly salty)
Why it’s in foods that don’t taste salty
Some foods contain salt but don’t taste obviously salty because it’s used in small amounts for structure, preservation, or flavour balancing. This includes:
- Biscuits
- Breakfast cereals
- Muffins
- Sweet pastries
- Chocolate
How much salt is too much
You don’t need to count every grain, but it helps to know what the general recommendations look like.
Most adults should aim for around 5 grams of salt per day, which is about one teaspoon. That includes all the salt in your food – not just what you add during cooking.
Simple ways to reduce salt without losing flavour
The idea isn’t to make food boring. It’s to get your flavour from places that make meals interesting.
Use herbs, spices and aromatics
If you want food to taste good with less salt, herbs and spices can be your best buddies.
Try adding:
- Garlic, ginger and onion
- Lemon or lime juice
- Pepper, paprika, cumin or chilli
- Fresh herbs like basil, coriander, parsley or dill
- Dried herbs like oregano, thyme or rosemary
A squeeze of lemon at the end of cooking can make a dish taste brighter and more ‘finished’ without needing extra salt.
Choose reduced salt options where it makes sense
You don’t have to swap everything, but some changes give you the biggest payoff.
Look for reduced salt versions of:
- Stock cubes and liquid stock
- Canned beans and lentils
- Tinned tuna
- Sauces like soy sauce and tomato-based pasta sauces
Even switching just one or two regular staples can lower your overall intake quite a bit.
Rinse canned foods
If you use canned beans, chickpeas or vegetables, a quick rinse under water can wash away some of the added sodium.
It’s a tiny effort for a surprisingly helpful result – and it doesn’t change the taste much at all.
Be label-savvy
Australian food labels list salt as sodium.
A simple guide is:
- Lower sodium: under 120 mg per 100 g
- Moderate sodium: 120–400 mg per 100 g
- Higher sodium: over 400 mg per 100 g
You don’t have to get it perfect. Just comparing two similar products can be enough to make a smarter choice.
Heart-friendly foods that naturally keep salt lower
If you want to support your heart health while still enjoying your meals, the easiest approach is to build most of your eating around foods that are naturally low in salt.
Fresh fruit and vegetables
Fruit and vegetables bring fibre, vitamins and minerals, and they naturally contain very little sodium. They also help make meals more filling, which can reduce the temptation to rely on heavily processed foods.
Wholegrains
Wholegrain bread, oats, brown rice and quinoa help keep you full and support heart health. Bread does contain salt, but it can still be part of a balanced eating pattern – especially if you’re keeping an eye on the salt in the rest of your day.
Lean proteins and plant-based options
A variety of proteins can support a heart-smart eating style, including:
- Fish and seafood
- Eggs
- Lean meat
- Beans, lentils and chickpeas
- Nuts and seeds
These foods can be naturally low in salt, especially when prepared at home.
Healthy fats
Some fats support heart health better than others. Foods like avocado, olive oil, nuts and seeds can add flavour and richness to meals, so you don’t feel like you’re missing out.
How to reduce salt when eating takeaway
Takeaway is one of the biggest salt sources for many Australians, but that doesn’t mean you need to give it up.
A few easy tricks:
- Choose grilled options instead of crumbed or fried
- Ask for sauces on the side
- Skip extra salty add-ons (like bacon or extra cheese) sometimes
- Balance it out with a low-salt dinner later, rather than stressing about it
It’s all about what you do most of the time, not what you do once in a while.
Start small
If you’re not sure where to start, try one of these for the next week:
- Swap regular stock for reduced salt stock
- Rinse canned beans and lentils
- Replace salty snacks with unsalted nuts or plain popcorn
- Try flavouring meals with lemon, garlic and herbs instead of extra salt
- Compare two similar products at the supermarket and choose the lower sodium one
The good news is that none of these changes mean you have to give up your favourite foods. They’re just small nudges that can add up over time.
Source: heartfoundation.org.au
