Salt (2024)

Eating too much salt may raise your blood pressure and increase your risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases.

There are small changes you can make to cut down the amount of salt you eat. Over time, this will help to keep your heart healthy.

What is salt and what is sodium?

When we use salt to season our food, we use table salt. Table salt is also called sodium chloride. When you see sodium on food labels, it’s just another way of talking about the amount of salt in the food.

Some sodium in our diet is good because it helps our kidneys to control the amount of water in our blood. If we eat too much sodium, water is pulled back into our bloodstream. The more water in our blood vessels, the higher our blood pressure gets.

High blood pressure can put you at risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases such as:

• heart attack
• heart failure
• stroke
• vascular dementia.

How much salt should I eat per day?

The recommended daily salt intake for adults is less than 6 grams of salt per day. 6 grams of salt is about one level teaspoon.

Children should eat less salt than adults. The recommended daily intake of salt for babies and children depends on their age.

Some food labels call salt, sodium instead. Salt and sodium are measured slightly differently. The recommended daily sodium intake for adults is less than 2.5g per day.

The recommended daily intake of salt (or sodium) includes the amount already added it ready-made and processed foods, as well as the salt you add when you cook and eat.

How do I know how much salt I’m eating?

The labels on your food will usually have a nutritional information section. This section will show you how much of each nutrient is in the food, like the amount of salt. To see how much salt is in the packaged food, you can look at the ‘amount per serving’.

Some food labels have a traffic light system to help you see if the food has a low, medium or high amount of salt in it. If you reduce the amount of food you eat with medium (amber) and high (red) levels of salt, it will help you reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure.

My food label says ‘per 100g’. How do I know how much salt I’m eating?

Some food labels might not say the ‘amount per serving’, they might say the ‘amount per 100g’. Most food labels that say ‘amount per 100g’ will use the traffic light system to help you track your salt intake:

What foods are high in salt and sodium?

A lot of the food we eat already has salt in it. In fact, around three quarters of the salt we eat on a daily basis has already been added to our food before we buy it.

Most people know that microwave meals, takeaways and snacks like crisps are high in salt. You might be surprised to know a lot of other foods are also high in salt such as:

• cheese
• breakfast cereals
• canned soups
• bread, pastries and pizzas
• biscuits, cookies and cakes
• processed meats – sausages, bacon and ham
• sauces – gravy, ketchup, mustard, brown sauce and soy sauce.

The amount of salt will vary between different brands and varieties. Check your food labels before you buy to help you choose healthier options.

It might feel tricky to have tasty food and watch how much salt you’re having. There are other ways to add flavour to food other than salt. Many people add flavour to their food by using:

• chilli
• lemon juice
• black pepper
• fresh and dried herbs
• fresh and dried spices.

Reducing how much salt you eat can make you feel less thirsty, less dehydrated and have less headaches.

What foods are low in salt and sodium?

Even if the food we eat doesn’t taste salty, it might still be high in salt. But there are many foods that are naturally low in salt and sodium. You can reduce the number of salty foods you eat by swapping to less salty options. Trying new recipes and seasonings can also help you make your meals exciting and satisfying.

Try one of these delicious alternatives:

• snacks – sliced apple, celery sticks, rice cakes, unsalted nuts
• breakfast – fresh fruit, yoghurt, cooked eggs, porridge oats
• lunch – swap processed sandwich fillers for like chicken, tuna, lettuce, tomato
• home-made soups, home-made pasta sauces, home-made pizzas.

Are other types of salt healthier?

No, other types of salt still effect your blood pressure in the same way table salt does. They include:

• pink salt
• black salt
• rock salt
• crystal salt
• salt flakes.

These types of salts are usually less refined (less processed) than table salt. But their amount of sodium and nutrients are similar to table salt. They can still put you at risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases.

Some supermarkets sell low salt alternatives like LoSalt and Saxa So-Low, or their own brands. These salt substitutes have less sodium than normal salt. They can help you reduce your sodium intake, but they won’t help you kick the habit of eating salty or ready-made foods. The low salt alternative brands usually contain potassium. High levels of potassium are not recommended for people with existing health conditions. If you have an existing health condition, you may want to talk to your doctor before using a salt substitute.

Top tips for reducing your salt intake

There are lots of things you can do to make sure your food is still exciting and easy to prepare. Try one of these top tips today:

• check the amount of salt on your food labels
• gradually add less salt when you’re cooking – you will quickly get used to it
• buy the reduced salt and sugar options of your favourite sauces
• flavour your food with pepper, herbs, garlic, spices or lemon juice instead
• swap ready-made or processed snacks, sandwich fillers and meals for healthier, home-made options.

What next?

• check out some of our favourite low salt recipes
• find out more about what to look for on yourfood labels
• watch our Heart Matters Magazine’s short video about ‘Why is too much salt bad for you?'
• read about the causes and symptoms of high blood pressureand how you can reduce your risk.

Last updated: September 2021

Next update: September 2024