When thinking about salt intakes, it’s important to know that each 1g of sodium translates to 2.5g of salt, and to take this into account when looking at how much salt you have day-to-day. Although legislation does not require it, some manufacturers may still quote sodium content on their labels. Salt is the everyday term we use for a chemical compound called sodium chloride salt is made from two components, sodium and chlorine, which give salt this chemical name. Salted snacks like crisps, nuts, biscuits, popcorn.Smoked meat and fish, prawns and anchovies.Stock cubes, gravy powder and salted flavourings.Ketchup, soy sauce, mayonnaise, pickles.Salted meats and processed meat products such as ham, bacon, sausages, pate or salami.Be wary of gourmet salts and salt substitutes claiming to be better for your health than table salt – these product ranges are still likely to add some form of salt to your diet.Ask in restaurants and takeaways for no added salt.Switch salty snacks (crisps, biscuits) for fruit, veggie sticks or non-added salt alternatives.Compare salt levels among similar products and try to choose those lower in salt.Use the traffic light labels on the front of packaging to help you make smarter choices.There can be a really big difference between different types and brands. Check out food labels for salt and go for lower salt choices.Cut down on salty processed foods and ready meals and try and make your own if you can.Use little or no salt in cooking – try using extra herbs and spices instead such as black pepper.However, national food surveys show that many of us still exceed this recommendation by up to a third! Be Salt Aware 6g/day for healthy people over 11 years.5g/day for children aged seven to ten years.3g/day for children aged four to six years.2g/day for infants aged one to three years.The recommended limits of salt intake are: To get an idea of how much salt you consume in an average day, it can be helpful to look at the amount of salt per serving, which you should also find on the label. For foods that don’t yet display the ‘traffic light’ label, here is a handy guide: How much is too much for me and my family? ‘Traffic light’ colours help you to see, at a glance, if a food has high, medium or low amounts of each of these nutrients in 100g of the food. Many food products in the UK display a ‘traffic light’ label to help you make a healthier choice. How do I know which foods contain a lot of salt? Making the decision to cut down on processed foods can make a big difference, and it's easier to do this if you are able to quickly check the salt content on food labels. Many manufacturers have recently made some positive changes to the amount of salt they add. Even breads and breakfast cereals can contain a lot of salt. Most of this comes from salt added to foods like processed meat products, snacks (such as crisps and biscuits), ready meals, soups and pasta sauces. While we may add salt to our food during cooking, or just before we eat it, about 75 per cent of the salt we eat is already added to the food we buy. Many everyday foods are not obviously salty, but they can contain high amounts of 'hidden salt'. However, as with most things, too much salt in our diets can lead to problems such as water retention, raised blood pressure, and a higher risk of heart attack, kidney disease and stroke, so it’s worth keeping within safe limits. Salt plays a vital role in transporting water around the body, and in transmitting messages between the brain and the rest of the body. Our body tissues are made up of vast number of cells of different shapes, sizes and functions, and all of these cells require enough salt to function properly. This Food Fact Sheet looks at salt in our diet, how to identify foods containing too much salt and tips to moderate salt consumption and improve your health.
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