Cutting salt intake by 1/2 teaspoon daily could reduce heart attacks and strokes, and boost nation's health - CNN (article link)

Excessive salt intake is associated with high blood pressure, which can damage the arteries and lead to heart disease, stroke, and other health problems and linked to health care costs.
- A reduction in salt intake of just 1g or about 400mg would produce large declines in the rates of cardiovascular events.
- Cutting salt intake by 3g or about 1,200mg the number of heart attacks in the U.S. could decline by up to 13%.
- New cases of heart disease and the number of strokes could also be expected to decline by up to 11% and 8%.
- Processed foods, not salt from shaker, account for 75% to 80% of salt consumption.