Ask the Dietitian: Salt

The campaign for us all to reduce our salt intake has been going for a good few years, and most of us are probably aware that too much salt can cause high blood pressure. One barrier to reducing salt can sometimes be the thought that by reducing how much we add to food, we are compromising on taste. This article will go over some commonly asked questions when it comes to the salt we eat and ways to reduce it.

Is most of the salt in our diet added when we cook?

No, although it is still good to reduce how much we add to our cooking and at the table. Around 75% of our salt comes from other sources. Commonly-consumed higher-salt foods include ready meals (including sandwiches and soups), takeaways, and heavily-processed meat alternatives. Even things that don’t necessarily taste salty can be key sources of salt, such as bread and some breakfast cereals.

Checking food labels can be a great way to compare salt levels in products, opting for ones that are lower in salt where possible.

What’s the difference between sodium and salt?

If you do decide to look at some food labels or ingredient lists, you might have noticed that sometimes ‘salt’ is listed, and sometimes it might say ‘sodium’. Salt is made up of sodium and chloride, so when you see ‘sodium’ listed it is referring to part of the molecule. This means that the value of sodium will be lower than the salt value. For example, as a guide, anything over 0.6g sodium per 100g is considered high in sodium. For salt, anything over 1.5g per 100g is high.

The key thing to remember is that salt and sodium are not the same thing. If you see how much sodium is in something, this is not the same as how much salt it contains.

Is sea salt or Himalayan salt better for me than regular table salt?

There are a huge array of different salts available to buy, and for purposes of taste you might have a preference. The pretty appearance of pink salt crystals might appeal! However, there is no additional nutritional benefit to Himalayan salt, and it has the same health risks. There are some claims around different minerals present, but the amounts are too small to have any real impact.

How can I stop food tasting bland if I am reducing the salt I add?

Reducing how many prepackaged high salt foods we eat is one thing, but it is still important to also reduce how much salt we add to our cooking and at the table. Here are some tips to help put this into action:

• Give it time. The first time you reduce the amount of salt you add to your food, chances are you will notice. But, give it time and in a few weeks your tastebuds will adjust and you won’t notice it anymore.
• Add more herbs and spices. Variety is the spice of life. When replacing salt, adding a mix of herbs and spices is a good idea, and the quantity you will need will be more than the amount of salt you are replacing.
• If you still feel the need to add some salt at the table, taste the food first rather than doing it out of habit. It might be that your food tastes delicious without it.
• Keeping the salt shaker off the table can also help break the habit of adding salt to every meal. Removing the visual prompt is useful. Some people also prefer to swap it for a pepper grinder.