eat less salt

Adults should eat no more than 6g salt a day

Lots of people think they don't eat much salt, especially if they don't add it to their food.

In reality most of us eat too much salt. Every day in the UK, 85% men and 69% women eat too much salt. Adults and children over 11 should have no more than 6g salt a day. Younger children should have even less.

Most of the salt we eat is in processed foods ready meals such as breakfast cereals, soups and sauces. So you could easily be eating too much salt without realising it.

Eating too much salt is bad for your health. There is a strong significant evidence linking high salt intakes with high blood pressure, which in turn increases your risk of developing heart disease or suffering a stroke.

How do I know if a food is high in salt?

Check the label on the to see how much salt there is in the food.

Tips to help you eat less salt:

• Choose lower salt sandwich fillings, such as chicken, sald or poached salmon
• Choose vegetable or chickend toppings on your pizza
• Choose no added salt canned vegetables and pulses
• Use herbs, garlic and chilli to add flavour to cooking instead of salt
• Remember, children under 11 should eat less than 6g of salt a day. For more information visit www.eatwell.gov.uk