Most South Africans know salt isn’t great for them. But knowing and acting are worlds apart. And yet most of us have no idea how much we’re consuming – or what it’s quietly doing to our bodies over time.
The gap isn’t information – it’s visibility. When you can see how your choices affect you, and when those choices are recognised and rewarded, behaviour actually changes.
The risk isn’t just in the saltshaker. It’s in the everyday foods we trust and in the habits we’ve never thought to question.
More than heart health
The effects of excess salt reach further than most people expect and show up sooner than a diagnosis ever would.
Over time, chronically high intake carries consequences that extend well beyond the cardiovascular system – kidney function decline, reduced bone density, increased risk of stomach cancer1 – conditions that develop slowly, silently, and without warning.
But here’s what many don’t realise: a high-sodium meal can disrupt your sleep the same night. Fluid retention shifts to the upper airways as you lie down, raising the risk of sleep apnoea, while elevated blood pressure brings headaches and chest tension that fragment your rest.2
One disrupted night affects your mood, your energy, and the food choices you make the next morning, often pulling you toward the very habits that continue the cycle. By day three of a lower-sodium approach, many people notice the shift: deeper sleep, steadier energy, fewer afternoon cravings.
“Better energy doesn’t start with a major overhaul. It starts with noticing what’s quietly working against you every day,” says registered dietician, Danielle (Oldfield) Venter. “Most people think hidden salt is a future risk. It’s actually a daily one and the fastest nutrition wins are often the quietest ones, like reducing hidden salt.”
Small changes, real and lasting impact
Progress is being made. South Africa’s salt reduction legislation, which set limits on sodium in processed foods, has had a measurable effect – with salt intake among young South Africans dropping by approximately 1.2 grams per day following its introduction.3 That matters.
But legislation only goes so far. It doesn’t reach the salt we add ourselves – on the stove, or at the table. The majority of South Africans still consume well above the World Health Organization’s recommended five grams per day4. The processed food supply is cleaner; our plates, not yet.
That gap is where individual choices become powerful. You don’t need a complete overhaul. Small, consistent changes in what you eat, and how you track it, can meaningfully reduce your blood pressure and your long-term risk across multiple conditions.
Know your numbers. Own your health.
Start by reading labels. Choose lower-sodium alternatives where you can. Cook with herbs and spices, instead of salt. And crucially, blood pressure, cholesterol, and kidney function don’t announce themselves. Know your numbers. Regular monitoring is how you stay ahead of a risk you cannot feel.
Because the risk is invisible, awareness alone is rarely enough to sustain change. That’s where recognition and tracking matter.
“Every time you make a choice – reading that label, swapping salt for herbs, checking your blood pressure – you’re not just protecting your future,” says Maria Carpenter, Head of Momentum Multiply, Momentum Health’s complete wellness rewards programme. “You’re building momentum. And when that momentum is recognised and rewarded, behaviour shifts from effort into habit. That’s when lasting change begins.”
Tracking your health indicators through regular check-ins and assessments enables you to see what’s happening in your body and take action. This is how you improve your health, because your greatest asset isn’t just worth monitoring – it’s worth investing in.
Visit Momentum Multiply to know your health, improve your health, and get rewarded for owning your health.
