Reducing your salt intake
Adding salt to your food while you’re cooking or at the table doesn’t have to be a hard habit to break and as most of us are eating more than the recommended daily amount of salt (6g or 1 level teaspoon) we need to think about cutting down. Reducing your salt intake can lower your blood pressure which may help maintain a Healthy Heart You could always try adding some mixed herbs or spices to give your food more flavour but it’s amazing how quickly your taste buds can adapt to dietary changes and if you reduce your salt intake gradually, you shouldn’t notice the difference.
The salt reduction plan
Here are some easy ways to reduce your salt intake:
-
Don’t forget to check the labels on food packaging. Salt often appears as sodium on food labels (6g of salt is equivalent to 2.5g of sodium). For pre-prepared foods, look at the ‘amount per serving’.
-
Try adding less salt to your cooking (e.g. when boiling vegetables, making casseroles, pasta sauces etc.). As you get used to the taste, you can cut it out completely
-
Avoid adding salt to your meal at the table – taste it first and try adding herbs instead
-
Watch out for salty snacks and processed foods such as crackers, nachos, potato chips and pretzels, cheese, gravies and sauces, processed luncheon meats, canned or dried soups and frozen meals.
-
Eat a variety vegetables and fruit. Aim for at least 7 servings of vegetables and fruits each day.
-
Include low fat dairy in your diet
-
Watch out for cooking sauces (especially soy sauce) as some of these are very high in salt.