Are You Eating Too Much Salt?

By Moira Chisholm

By GP Dr Sarah Jarvis, MBE

Sugar isn’t the only white stuff we need to be aware of. It’s important we don’t forget the issue of excess salt in our diets.

Research by LoSalt, the UK’s leading reduced sodium salt, shows that more than half (58%) of people are not concerned about how much salt they are eating and 86% of people do not know how much salt they should be having a day.

This worries me greatly because in the UK we are still eating far too much salt. Excess salt raises our blood pressure and high blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke and heart disease, which are still two of the biggest killers in this country. Salt is one of those things which can be easy to bury our head in the sand about. It can seem easier to skip a dessert and watch our sugar intake than it can be to look at the savoury food we eat. However, with a few small changes and swaps here and there, you can make a big difference to your health by bringing your salt intake down.

Here’s my guide to salt, explaining what you need to know and importantly, how you can cut down:

So why should I be aware of how much salt is in my diet?

Public Health England advises that excess dietary salt is one of the most important modifiable risk factors for high blood pressure. High blood pressure affects one in four adults and is a major risk factor for stroke and heart disease. It’s known as the silent killer because it often has no symptoms, so you may not even know you have it.

How much salt should we be having?

In the UK, it is recommended that we should be eating a maximum of 6g of salt a day, that’s about a teaspoonful. However, on average we are eating 8g a day which is far too much. If we were all able to bring our salt intake down to 6g a day it is estimated that it could prevent over 8,000 premature deaths each year and save the NHS £570 million annually.

So how is salt linked to high blood pressure?

All salt, whether it’s table salt, rock salt, sea salt or pink Himalayan rock salt, is 100% sodium chloride and it’s sodium which is linked to high blood pressure. When we eat salt, or food containing salt, it’s the sodium which makes your body retain water and that is a big factor in increasing your blood pressure.

Don’t be duped into thinking posh gourmet sea and rock salts are better for you. Some of these manufacturers make very misleading claims. They all contain exactly the same amount of sodium as regular table salt and any other trace minerals will be present in such small quantities that you won’t get any benefit

I don’t add much salt to food, how am I eating too much?

You may think a teaspoon of salt sounds like a lot and that you don’t use that much salt in your cooking or seasoning. However, 75% of the salt in our diets is already contained in foods. It is most likely to be found in processed foods such as bread, cereals, processed meats like bacon, ham and sausages, pickles, sauces and condiments and ready prepared meals. It’s important to be mindful of the salt you add to food – which is the easiest to modify and keep an eye on – but to also think about the type of food you are eating which can contain hidden salt.

So how can I cut down on the salt in my diet?

Avoid seasoning and adding salt to food at home. Try using herbs, spices and lemon juice instead. Weaning yourself off salt takes some getting used to, but your palate will adjust
If you can’t go without salt, then you are better to use a reduced sodium salt like LoSalt instead, which contains 66% less sodium than regular salts. It is the sodium in salt which is linked to high blood pressure
Don’t be duped into thinking posh gourmet sea and rock salts are better for you. Some of these manufacturers make very misleading claims. They all contain exactly the same amount of sodium as regular table salt and any other trace minerals will be present in such small quantities that you won’t get any benefit
Try to cut down on processed food as this is where the majority of salt in our diets come from. Ready meals, readymade sauces and soups are often high in salt
Keep processed meats to a minimum. Bacon, ham and sausages contain salt
Remember, high blood pressure is very common and it often has no symptoms. It usually affects people as they get older and will be checked as part of your NHS health check which you are invited to every five years between the ages of 40-74. It’s important that you attend these health checks as they can help detect early signs for high blood pressure, stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and dementia.

About LoSalt

LoSalt is a reduced sodium salt which delivers all the flavour of regular salt, but contains 66% less sodium than regular table, rock and sea salts. It is an expert blend of two natural mineral salts. It is the sodium in salt which is linked to high blood pressure, and as LoSalt contains significantly less of the sodium than regular salts, it is an easy swap you can make to bring your salt and sodium intake down.

LoSalt can be used exactly as you would use regular salt and in like for like quantities, in cooking, seasoning, baking and even for curing meat and fish. LoSalt, £1.75, is available from a wide range of supermarkets and stores: Asda, Sainsbury’s, Co-Op, Waitrose, Budgens, Booths, Londis, Costcutter, Premier and Spar.

Recipes by LoSalt

Veggie Spaghetti Bolognese

There’s nothing quite like a spag-bol! Packed with nutrients & suitable for vegetarians, too, this low-fat and lower salt version covers all the bases.

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Serves 4

180g dried Puy lentils

1 tbsp oil

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, diced

2 sticks celery, diced

50ml red wine

400g can chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato puree

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp LoSalt

Nutrient	Per 100g	Per Serving	%RI
Energy (kcal)	94	524	26
Protein (g)	4.2	23.5	47
Fat (g)	1.1	5.9	8
Sat Fat (g)	0.1	0.6	3
Carbs (g)	14.8	82.3	32
Sugar (g)	2.6	14.6	16
Fibre (g)	3.4	19	63
Salt (g)	0.1	0.6	10

300g wholewheat spaghetti

Method:

Cook the lentils in boiling water for 20 minutes, drain.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the garlic, onion, carrots and celery for 5 minutes. Add the red wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the tomatoes, puree, oregano and LoSalt. Half fill the tomato can with water and add to the pan.

Add the lentils and bring to the boil, simmer for 10 minutes until lentils are tender.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in boiling water for 10 minutes or until tender, drain and serve with the lentil Bolognese.

Baked Chicken & Bombay Potatoes

Ditch the takeaway and try this Indian inspired alternative with less salt.

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Serves 4

500g baby new potatoes, halved if large

1 tbsp oil

500g chicken breast fillets, cut into chunks

1 onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, chopped

½ tsp turmeric

½ tsp mild chilli powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp LoSalt

400g can chopped tomatoes

28g pack fresh coriander, chopped

150g tub low fat natural yogurt

Method:

Nutrient	Per 100g	Per Serving	%RI
Energy (kcal)	71	316	16
Protein (g)	8.1	36	72
Fat (g)	1.2	5.1	7
Sat Fat (g)	0.2	0.9	4
Carbs (g)	6.6	29.1	11
Sugar (g)	2.4	10.5	12
Fibre (g)	1.1	4.7	16
Salt (g)	0.1	0.6	10

Preheat the oven to 200^oC, gas mark 6.

Cook the potatoes in boiling water for 5 minutes and drain.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the chicken and onion for 4-5 minutes, add the garlic, spices and LoSalt and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in the tomatoes, 150ml water and potatoes, bring to the boil and transfer to a roasting tin. Bake for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked throughout and potatoes are tender. Stir in half the fresh coriander.

Mix together the yogurt and remaining coriander and serve with the chicken and Bombay potatoes.

Spiced Carrot Soup with Dumplings

What could be better for lunch than a bowl of tasty soup? This one will keep you full with dumplings and plenty veggies – and, of course, contains less of the salt!

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 25 minutes

Serves 4

1 tbsp oil

1 onion, chopped

500g carrots, sliced

300g King Edward potatoes, diced

1 tsp ground coriander

Seeds from 6 cardamom pods, crushed

2 very low salt vegetable stock cubes (for 1 litre)

¾ tsp LoSalt

Nutrient	Per 100g	Per Serving	%RI
Energy (kcal)	69	287	14
Protein (g)	1.2	4.9	10
Fat (g)	2.6	10.9	16
Sat Fat (g)	0.9	3.7	18
Carbs (g)	9.2	38.2	15
Sugar (g)	3	12.4	14
Fibre (g)	2	8.3	28
Salt (g)	0.2	0.8	13

28g pack fresh coriander, chopped

50g wholemeal self-raising flour

25g vegetable suet

Method:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the onion, carrot and potato for 4-5 minutes. Add the ground coriander and cardamom.

Dissolve the stock cube in 1 litre boiling water and add to the pan. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes until tender and blitz with a stick blender until smooth. Stir in half the LoSalt and the fresh coriander, reserving some for garnish.

Meanwhile, mix the flour, suet and remaining LoSalt together in a bowl, add 2-3 tbsp water and mix to form a dough. Roll into 8 small balls.

Gently place the dumplings on the surface of the soup, cover and simmer for 5-6 minutes until dumplings are cooked through. Sprinkle with reserved coriander.

Open Mexican Sweet Potato & Avocado Fajitas

This supper is bursting with Mexican flavour, but with less of the salt.

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Serves 4

500g sweet potatoes, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 onion, cut into chunks

1 tsp LoSalt

1 tsp mild chilli powder

1 tsp dried oregano

½ tsp smoked paprika

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

28g pack fresh coriander, chopped

3 tomatoes, chopped

4 spring onions, sliced

4 wholemeal flour tortillas

1 ripe avocado, mashed

Nutrient	Per 100g	Per Serving	%RI
Energy (kcal)	101	354	18
Protein (g)	2.2	7.7	15
Fat (g)	3.2	11.1	16
Sat Fat (g)	0.9	3	15
Carbs (g)	14.4	50.8	20
Sugar (g)	4.1	14.4	16
Fibre (g)	2.9	10	30
Salt (g)	0.3	1.1	18

4 heaped tsp reduced fat soured cream

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200^oC, gas mark 6.

Place the vegetables in a roasting tin. Mix together the LoSalt, chilli powder, oregano, paprika and garlic and toss into the vegetables with the oil. Roast for 20 minutes until tender, stir in half the coriander.

Mix together the tomatoes, spring onions and remaining coriander.

Heat the tortillas according to pack instructions and spread with the avocado, top with the roasted vegetables and then tomato salsa and serve with a spoonful of soured cream.

For more recipes and information on Losalt . . .