ARE YOU HAVING TOO MUCH SALT?

Most of us are eating more salt than we realise, and it's not just the salt added to our cooking or at the table that we need to watch out for.

In fact, three-quarters of the salt we eat is already in the foods we buy. These can contain a lot of salt even if they do not taste salty.

Too much salt can put us and our children at risk of high blood pressure and heart disease later on in life.

The maximum recommended daily amounts of salt are:

4 to 6 years old: 3 grams (6 sachets)

7 to 10 years old: 5 grams (10 sachets)

11 and older: 6 grams (12 sachets)

SALTY FOODS TO WATCH OUT FOR

We're all eating too much salt. We should be having 6g of salt a day max, which is less than a teaspoon!

The following foods are all ones to watch out for and cut back on if you can. And remember, food, especially packaged food, can be really high in salt even if it does not taste particularly salty.

SAUSAGES,BACON AND HAM

PASTRIES,PIZZA AND CHEESE 

CRISPS AND SALTED NUTS 

GRAVY,BROWN SAUCE,MUSTARD,KETCHUP AND SOY SAUCE

Even if you know what to look out for when it comes to salty food, it's not always easy to know what to do instead.

Try these simple ways to cut back on salt.

CUT DOWN SALT AT HOME

1.Swap crisps, salted nuts and other salty snacks for plain rice cakes, chopped-up fruit, veggie sticks or unsalted nuts.

2.Brown sauce, ketchup, mustard, soy sauce and gravy can all contain a lot of salt. Buy reduced-salt options or use less of them. A little goes a long way.

3.Ready-made soups can pack a salty punch. For a tasty lower-salt option, try our spiced chicken and vegetable soup. 

4.Swap cheese and salty processed meats like ham and salami for lean cuts of chicken, beef or canned tuna – and add veggies and salad to every sarnie to help get your 5 A Day!

5.Takeaways and ready-meals can contain a lot more salt than you imagine, so cut back by cooking your takeaway favourites at home.

6.Remove the salt shaker from the table and use less salt in your cooking. Add flavour by using herbs and spices instead of salt – you'll soon find you do not miss it!