Why we need to cut salt?
Although the strongest evidence is for the effect that a high salt diet has on blood pressure, stroke and heart disease, there is also a wide body of evidence indicating a link between salt consumption and other conditions.
Salt has been linked to:
- Osteoporosis
- High Blood Pressure
- Stomach Cancer
- Obesity
- Kidney Disease & Kidney Stones
- Cardiovascular Disease (stroke, heart disease and heart failure)
- Water retention/bloating
Salt is also thought to exacerbate the symptoms of:
- Diabetes
- Meniere’s Disease
- Asthma
- Alzheimer’s
Current salt intake & dietary advice
Almost everyone in the UK (and the rest of the Western world) eats too much salt. The daily recommended amount in the UK is no more than 6 grams a day; the current average salt intake is 8.1g salt a day!
Some simple tips to help you use less salt, including:
🧂Replacing salt with chilli, citrus, fresh herbs, garlic, black pepper and spices.
🧂Cutting back on sauces such as soy sauce, ketchup and salad dressings which can contain lots of hidden salt.
🧂Using lower salt-stocks, or making your own low-salt stock.
🧂Cook from scratch using unprocessed meat, fish and vegetables
🧂Use fresh, tinned or frozen vegetables with no added salt
🧂And remember – ALL salt is salt (even the posh sea, pink, black, rock, crystal or flakes!) but there are low-sodium alternatives for those who need a little more time to adjust to a less salty taste.
🧂It only takes 3 weeks for our taste buds to adapt and become more sensitive to salt, so you get the same flavour impact from less salt.
🧂If you can’t get used to less salt, try using low sodium alternatives such as LoSalt
🧂This Salt Awareness Week, help us celebrate home cooking – the meals that shape our cultures and societies, the meals we grew up with and the recipes we’ve tried and loved. All with More Flavour, Less Salt!
Shopping
- Know which foods are high in salt and try to swap these for healthier alternatives. See our shopping guide: Leaflet – Shopping Guide [PDF 606KB]:
High salt foods include:
– processed meat and fish e.g. ham, bacon, salami, sausages, pate, smoked fish
– convenience foods e.g. pizza, pasties, ready meals, canned/packet soups
– salty snacks e.g. crisps, salted nuts, burgers, chips, salted popcorn - Always remember to check the labels and choose lower salt options
- Swap from branded products to retailers’ own brands, as they tend to be lower in salt
- Look for lower salt and ‘no added salt’ versions of your usual foods in the supermarket e.g. canned vegetables, tinned fish in spring water, ketchup and baked beans
Additional resources:
- Salt and Your Health
- Recipe books
- Shopping guide
- British Heart Foundation Heart Matters online
Information courtesy of the Action on Salt