If you have high blood pressure, lowering your salt intake may reduce your blood pressure. Reducing high blood pressure is important to reduce your risk of stroke, heart disease and kidney disease.
The salt in your diet doesn't just come from the salt shaker — 80% of the salt in our diets comes from packaged foods.
What you will learn in this fact sheet
Our comprehensive guide provides you with:
- Tips to reduce your salt intake with practical strategies.
- Information for managing high blood pressure through dietary changes.
- Choices to reduce your sodium when shopping and cooking.
- Guidance on reading food labels to identify hidden salt.
Evidence-based salt reduction strategies:
- Put the salt shaker away.
- Give your taste buds time to adapt.
- Add other flavours instead.
- Shop smart — reading nutrition labels.
- Choose products with the lowest sodium.
- Choose fresh foods when shopping and cooking.
Smart food swaps to reduce salt
- Instead of high-salt deli meats choose lean mince or grilled chicken.
- Instead of smoked foods choose canned salmon in spring water, turkey breast or egg.
- Instead of high-sodium sauces:
- use salt reduced soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce
- use canned tomatoes instead of cooking sauces
- use no added salt stock instead of stock powder
- choose salt reduced gravy options.
- Instead of salty snacks choose unsalted nuts, air popped popcorn or fresh fruit.
- Take care when eating out to avoid extra sauces and dishes with cheese.
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The contents of this fact sheet were last updated December 2024
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Other helpful lifestyle choices for high blood pressure
Beyond salt reduction, other proven strategies to lower your blood pressure include:
- Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight and waistline.
- Participate in daily physical activity and reduce sitting time.
- Drink less than 2 standard alcoholic drinks in a day.
- Take medications recommended by your doctor.
- Get support to reduce or stop smoking.
- Eat foods that have potassium — including 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of vegetables each day.
Important note: If you have kidney disease, check with your doctor or dietitian before eating more foods that are high in potassium.
About the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute
The Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute is a leading medical research institute dedicated to reducing the impact of cardiovascular disease and diabetes through research, education, and community programs.
Your support makes a difference. Consider donating to help us continue developing trusted, evidence-based health resources and advancing medical research that benefits all Australians.
Disclaimer
While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of this material, the information is provided on the basis that persons undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. In particular, readers should seek independent professional medical advice from their general practitioner or specialist in relation to their own individual circumstance or condition before making any decisions based on this information. The material also includes summarised guidelines or recommendations based on information provided by third parties. The Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute disclaims to the extent permitted by law, all liability including negligence for claims of losses, expenses, damages and costs that the reader may incur (or suffer) from acting on or refraining from action as a result of all information in these materials.