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, one level teaspoon
contains 6g of salt. If you think you may be consuming too much
salt, you are not alone. Currently, the average daily intake of
salt by adults in the UK is far too high – with many people
consuming over 9g of salt each day.
Always read the label…
Regularly checking the nutrition information
on food labels can help you to choose healthier options for your
diet.
Salt often appears as sodium on food labels
(6g of salt is equivalent to 2.5g of sodium).
For pre-prepared foods, look at the ‘amount
per serving’.
A lot or a little per
100g?
A LOT
A LITTLE
1.25g of salt or more
0.25g
of salt
0.5g sodium or more
0.1g
of sodium
The salt reduction plan
Here are some easy ways to reduce your salt
intake:
- Use food labels to choose lower salt options
- Try adding less salt to your cooking (e.g.when boiling
vegetables, making casseroles, pasta sauces etc) – as you get used
to the taste, cut it out completely
- Avoid adding salt to your meal at the table – taste it first
and try adding herbs instead if you wish
- Watch out for salty snacks such as crisps and salted nuts
- and highly salted foods such as bacon, cheese, and other
processed foods such as ready meals and takeaways
- Eat a variety of fruit and vegetables. Aim for at least five
portions a day
- Watch out for cooking sauces (especially soy sauce) as some of
these are very high in salt.
7 to 10 years - 5g salt a day (2g sodium)
11 and over - 6g salt a day (2.5g sodium)
What do the
traffic light colours mean on food labels?
Got any questions about this page?
