Death by - Salt !

The statisticians tell us that when we ingest too much salt it makes us prone to increased blood pressure and that delivers stroke and hear disease.  Salt is linked to the annual death of 1.65 million people who die each year from cardiovascular disease.

The problem is that salt makes food taste better, and for that reason the people who make the food we eat deliberately add salt to enhance the sale of their product.  That seems to be a fact of life across the entire food spectrum, but extra salt is particularly prevalent in the " fast food "  segment, both what is available at those convenient restaurant chains and in the food we buy and prepare ourselves.

Australia is amongst many world countries that have embarked on a safety programme to reduce the average salt intake by thirty percent by 2025.   Pressure is being applied to the food industry to lower the salt content in bread, breakfast cereals, soups, sauces and processed meats.  As a result, we are seeing food labels that proclaim that the product is " salt reduced ", but in many cases the salt contend is still at a dangerous level.

Many food manufacturers can point to decreased sales of products that have had salt reduced.  Our taste buds seek that tangy salty flavour and if it goes missing we are prone to seek another brand or product that restores the taste.   We seem to be perverse creatures who on hot days partake of drinks like beer to satisfy our thirst, and compliment that with salty potato chips or salt encrusted pretzels. The average Australian eats about nine grams of salt a day, nearly double the WHO's limit.

Ask anyone who has had an ominous warning from their doctor and as a result has set out to reduce their salt intake just how difficult that can be.  Salt taste is really an addiction.  We complain that without salt food is " tasteless "  but if we persevere that addiction fades and our taste learns to do without it, but an occasional salt breakout can set the process right back to zero.

Government agencies are reluctant to use legislation to force lower salt levels on the food industry but eventually some sort of maximum standard may be necessary, but so many people have an ingrained taste for salt that they add it as a matter of course whenever they decide to eat.

In any restaurant it is curious just how many people reach for the salt shaker and add salt to whatever food they have ordered.  It seems more a reflex action than a result of thought and perhaps it is rooted in that addiction process.  The sight of the salt and pepper shakers on the table may prompt the subconscious.

Along with pressure on the food industry to reduce the salt in food products, maybe the answer to the salt problem is to legislate to make it illegal to have salt shakers at any food source.    If they were removed from restaurant tables - and unavailable for even requests - a major source of salt ingestion would be removed.

It would also probably result in a lot of angry people.  We already know that too much salt will eventually kill us and that too much sugar will have a similar result.  But we are a perverse species. Woe betide anyone who tries to force a change of lifestyle to enable us to live longer.  We insist on being masters of our own destiny - whatever that delivers !