There Are Many Useful Leaflets and On-Line Information Is Available
There are many useful leaflets and on-line information is available.
British Heart Foundation
Tel: 020 7486 5820
Food and Drink Federation
Food Standards Agency
Blood Pressure Association
Tel: 020 8772 4994
Other contacts:
Patient Advice and Liaison Service:0800 917 6039
Produced by Registered Dietitians of
Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust
Revised:April 2008
Review:April 2011
Ref:P44/08
© Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust 2008
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics
How to Reduce
Your
Salt Intake
Name: ……………………………………………………
Date: ……………………………………………………
Dietitian’s Contact No: …………………………………
Reducing your intake of Salt
You may have been advised to reduce the amount of salt (sodium) you eat if you have high blood pressure (hypertension), fluid retention (oedema), kidney/liver disease or heat problems.
Salt is found naturally in some foods, but most is often added during processing and cooking and added at the table.
The body needs a certain amount of salt every day but the average person in Britain consumes 5 times as much as the body needs.
How much is too much?
Health experts recommend that adults should consume less than 6g of salt a day. To give you a clearer idea, 1 level teaspoon contains 6g of salt.
Regularly checking the nutrition information on food labels can help you choose lower salt options for your diet. Salt often appears as sodium on food labels.
6g of salt is equivalent to 2.5 g sodium. To calculate how much salt is in a serving, from the sodium content: multiply by 2.5
eg 100 g serving containing 0.2 g sodium is equivalent to 0.5g salt.
(0.2g sodium x 2.5 = 0.5g salt)
A lot or a little per 100 g?
A lot…..A little…
1.25g of salt or more0.25g salt or less
0.5g of sodium or more0.1g of sodium or less
Suggestions to help you eat less Salt
- On labels salt is often called sodium.
- Use only a pinch of salt in cooking and do not add salt to your food once served.
- Sea salt, celery and garlic salt are all just different types of salt and should be avoided.
- Avoid foods containing monosodium glutamate (an additive – No 621).
- Look out for lower salt products, eg low salt baked beans, tinned fish in vegetable oil/water.
- Salt substitutes (eg Ruthmol, Losalt) should not be used unless discussed with your dietitian or doctor.
Flavouring foods without Salt
Beef:Horseradish, ginger, bay leaf, beer, black pepper, mustard…
Chicken:Lemon, garlic, almonds, coriander, paprika…
Fish:Black pepper, lemon juice, dill, parsley…
Pork:Ginger, garlic, thyme, sage, apple, cider…
Lamb:Mint, rosemary, basil, apricot, redcurrant…
Potatoes:Mint, parsley, onion…
Rice:Turmeric, saffron, mint, coriander, bay leaf…
Cabbage:Thyme, apple, apple juice, caraway…
Carrots:Parsley, cloves, thyme, tarragon, lemon juice…
Omelette:Chives, tarragon, garlic…