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You are in: Home > Heart Information > Reducing The Risks > Reduce Salt

Reduce Salt

Too much salt (sodium) in the diet can contribute to high blood pressure which increases the risk of heart disease. Reducing a high salt intake can sometimes help to lower your blood pressure.

• Why does salt do?
• How much salt is safe?
• Understanding salt labeling
• How to convert sodium into salt
• What is a high sodium / salt level?
• How to reduce salt in your diet

Why does salt do?

It is the sodium in salt that is used by your body. Sodium is needed to ensure that your muscles and nerves work properly and it helps to maintain normal blood pressure.

Too much sodium in your diet can increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.

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How much salt is safe?

The Department of Health now recommends that everyone should reduce their salt intake to no more than 6g of salt a day.

The salt that you need is found naturally in many foods, so you can easily get this amount without adding it to your food.

The average salt intake in the UK is currently between 9g and 12g per person per day. In time experts would like to reduce our intake to 4g per day.

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Understanding salt labeling

Many people find labels confusing. Salt content can be listed as salt or as sodium. However the amounts are not the same.

To be able to compare like for like you may have to convert sodium into salt.

How to convert sodium into salt:

• Work out the amount of sodium per 100g
• Multiply by 2.5
• For example: 1g sodium / 100g x 2.5= 2.5g salt / 100g

You have to also remember that the content has to be worked out for the total amount of food you eat in one serving and not just in 100g.

• For example: 1.3 grams of salt per 100g. If total serving = 300g then your intake will contain 1.3 x 3 = 4 grams of salt.

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What is a high sodium / salt level?

Per 100g:

• Equal or less than 0.005g sodium is salt free.
• < 0.1g sodium is low salt content.
• 0.2 - 0.4g sodium is medium salt content.
• Above 0.5g sodium is high salt content.

If no value is given, then the food has a higher salt content than the above criteria.

See the 'salt' factsheet (related documents) for a list of high / low salt foods.

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How to reduce salt in your diet

• Do not add salt at the table or during cooking. Instead try adding herbs and spices for flavour. In time your taste buds will adjust to the changes.
• Be aware that processed foods such as bread, meat products, vegetables, soups and sauces may contain a lot of salt.
• Read the labels on foods and look for low salt varieties.
• Try not to use salt alternatives as these can be high in other minerals e.g. potassium.

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