Eating Less Salt

Too much salt can cause high blood pressure which is a risk factor for stroke, heart disease and kidney problems.

The average British diet contains too much salt.

Here are some tips to help you cut down on salt:-

1. Avoid adding any salt once your food is ready to eat.

2. Use less salt when cooking or avoid adding it at all if possible.

3. Salt substitutes are available, however we do not recommend them as they prevent your taste buds adjusting to a lower salt diet.

4. You can use herbs, pepper, spices and garlic to flavour your food.

5. Most of the salt in your diet is found in processed foods. Try to cut down on:-

• Stock cubes, yeast or meat extracts and soy sauce.
• Salted savoury snacks e.g. salted nuts, crisps, salted biscuits, Bombay mix.
• Tinned, packet soups and cup-a-soup.
• Tinned savoury snacks e.g. baked beans, spaghetti in tomato sauce or 'pot snacks'.
• Take aways e.g. pizza, Chinese, curry or burger style fast food.
• Tins, jars, bottles and packets of sauces.
• Ready made meals.
• Hard and processed cheeses e.g. Cheddar, Cheshire and cheese spreads or any dishes containing a lot of cheese.
• Tinned, smoked and processed meats e.g. bacon, ham, sausage, luncheon meat, corned beef, tongue, beefburgers, meat paste, pate. Use fresh or frozen meat e.g. beef, lamb, pork and poultry instead.
• Tinned and smoked fish e.g. kippers, smoked haddock. Use fresh, frozen or fish tinned in water, oil or tomato sauce.

It may take 2-3 months to get used to a lower salt intake, but the effort will be worthwhile.

Suggestions For Flavouring Foods

 Lemon Juice

Squeeze over fish and chicken dishes.

 Peppercorns

Crush or grind over savoury dishes.

 Bouquet Garni or Bay Leaf

Use In stocks, soups and stews

 Chives

Add to cooked potatoes, salads, fish and chicken.

 Garlic

Use fresh garlic cloves. Do not use garlic salt. Use in a variety of meat dishes and salads.

 Parsley

Use chopped parsley as a garnish or for fish steak.

 Oregano, Basil, Mixed Herbs

Add to casseroles of chicken, red meat and fish

 Mint

Use in cooking potatoes and vegetables or make mint sauce to serve with lamb.

 Chillis, Chilli Powder, Crushed Chillis

Use to make chilli con carne, spicy pasta dishes or in curries

 Rosemary

Add to chicken or lamb before roasting.

You can use small amounts of gravy, ketchup, brown sauce, mayonnaise, salad cream and pickles to flavour your food, but remember they also contain salt.

Curry Powder, Turmeric, Cumin, Coriander, Garam Masala and Paprika, can be used in curries to produce a variety of flavours.