Hypertension is considered to be a permanent increase in arterial pressure, the values of which are greater than or approximately equal values of 140/90 mmHg. Excessive salt (sodium chloride) intake is associated with an increased risk of developing hypertension, which makes salt one of the main risk factors responsible for development and progression of cardiovascular and kidney diseases. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the recommended salt intake is 5 grams of salt per day. The alarming fact is that, in the most countries including Croatia, the current intake of salt is about 10 grams per day, which is more than twice the recommended daily intake according to the WHO, and five times more than the physiological need. Increasing plasma sodium levels lead to water retention in the body, which results with hypervolemia, therefore contributing to an increased blood pressure. It is important to emphasize fact that increased salt intake also leads to vascular endothelial dysfunction, which is characterized by the inadequate bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO) oxide, as well as by imbalance between other endothelium-derived vasodilators and vasoconstrictors, resulting in altered endothelium-dependent vasodilation. Reducing salt intake is a key step in the treatment and prevention of the development of arterial hypertension and related cardiovascular diseases. By adhering to WHO guidelines on daily salt intake, it is estimated to prevent approximately 1.65 million cardiovascular disease deaths per year.