What's the fuss about salt?
What do I need to know?
On average we eat 9g per day, but the government recommendation is no more than 6g. That’s not how much we need, but an achievable goal.
Too much salt can raise your blood pressure and almost a third of the population has high blood pressure; a major risk factor for heart disease and strokes. It is estimated that if we cut our salt intake 9g to 6g per day, the number of strokes could be reduced by up to 13%.
Did you know a ham sandwich can contain up to 2.5g of salt!
What should I be doing?
Firstly, don’t add salt to your food. About one third of our salt intake comes from salt we add at the table. Instead, try adding herbs and spices during cooking, or use reduced sodium salt instead. The majority of salt in the diet is in processed food, so always read the packet.
It’s very difficult to eliminate salt from your diet, and you don’t need to go that far. But just cutting down here and there to bring your overall levels down could make a big difference to your future health.
Top Tips:
- Don’t add salt to your food, use black pepper, herbs or spices instead
- Compare salt levels, especially in breakfast cereals and ready-meals
- Avoid smoked foods or switch to reduced-salt varieties
- Watch for hidden salt in mayonnaise, ketchup, soy sauce & mustard
- Don’t expect to eliminate all salt from your diet. Cutting down can make a huge difference
Really Useful Information:
Food Standards Agency www.salt.gov.uk
Blood Pressure Association www.bpassoc.org.uk
European Public Food Alliance www.epha.org