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Salt Facts &Figures

About 85% of the Dutch consume too much salt, often without realizing it. Everyday products from the supermarket contain much more salt than people often think. Meat products, ready-to-eat meat substitutes, cheese, sauces, seasonings and processed meat contribute to a large extent to the excessive average salt intake. When people reduce these products, results are quickly achieved.

Everyday salty products still often eaten Most people know that too much salt is bad for your kidneys. But they unknowingly ingest too much salt. Recent market research (MWM2, 2020) shows that more than a third (35%) of the respondents do want to cut back, and an equally large share (38%). Not everyone succeeds. Insight into your own salt intake, knowledge about salty products and insight into tasty, less salty alternatives play a role in this. Everyday products such as cheese and meat products are not yet well recognized as products that contribute a lot to a high salt intake. Moreover, research shows that cheeses, processed meats, soups and sauces are still important sources of excessive salt intake in the Netherlands. When you reduce these products, you quickly achieve results.

Too much salt causes kidney damage
Too much salt can cause kidney damage. The high salt consumption in the Netherlands causes death from cardiovascular disease and kidney failure. More than 2 million Dutch people have chronic kidney damage. This is expected to increase due to an aging population and underlying risk factors such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Kidney disease severely limits your life.

Facts &figures about salt

  • Almost everyone in the Netherlands (85%) eats too much salt.
  • 80% of salt intake comes from processed foods that you can buy at the supermarket. Only 20% of the salt intake comes from the salt shaker.
  • 6 grams is the maximum recommended amount of salt per day. But on average we eat 9 grams per day.
  • Too much salt is bad for your kidneys. It raises your blood pressure and can cause kidney damage.
  • A reduction in salt consumption from 9 grams to a maximum of 6 grams per day helps to lower blood pressure, makes medicines work better and protects (remaining) kidney function. As a result, it is estimated that nearly 150,000 cases of chronic kidney damage can be prevented over a 10-year period. In addition, it prevents kidney failure in 250 people, requiring dialysis or transplantation.
  • Products such as sea salt, Celtic or Himalayan salt seem healthier, but they are not. Too much of this is just as harmful as regular salt. The main ingredient is identical, regardless of the source or processing:NaCl (table salt). Also any added minerals or trace elements do not make salt less harmful.

Source:Nierstichting.nl