How nice would it be to make a healthy change to your diet without realizing it?

Two new research studies show how tiny, almost unnoticeable changes could lower sodium levels in packaged and prepackaged goods. These changes could lead to heart healthy improvements for many people and prevent large numbers of heart attacks, strokes and premature deaths.

In France, researchers found that cutting salt in baguettes and other widely eaten breads could lower daily sodium intake by about thirty-five hundredths of a gram per person. Over time, that invisible change could prevent more than 1,000 deaths.

In the United Kingdom, a separate study estimated that meeting the country’s 2024 sodium-reduction goals could reduce an average person’s daily salt intake by 17.5%. That could prevent about 100,000 cases of ischemic heart disease over a 20-year period.

In the U.K. study, researchers analyzed survey data to estimate how much salt people consume from packaged foods and takeout meals. Then, they calculated how much sodium intake would drop if all relevant food categories met the 2024 sodium targets. They measured 84 grocery food categories, including bread, cheeses and snacks.

Consuming too much salt is a big contributor to high blood pressure. It raises the risk of serious conditions like heart attacks, stroke and more.

Because the problem is so dire, reducing salt intake at a population level — rather than asking individuals to cut down on their own — is viewed as one feasible way to improve long-term health while lowering health care costs.

Until such changes come, we’ll have to make smart choices. Watch labels for sneaky sodium and do your best to avoid the salt shaker.