When I tell people that the most dangerous food additive they are likely to eat is salt they get really disappointed because they expect me to say an artificial sweetener or flavour, neither of which probably has any effect on their health. Salt is off the radar; no-one cares about salt.

Think of salt and health and the first, and possibly only, association you can make is to link salt and high blood pressure. That's understandable as anyone with hypertension is told cut out salt and choose salt-reduced foods. Having high blood pressure also increases the chance of having a stroke.