Salt

[Dennis]

For those of you who are looking to reduce your salt intake, this extract from Norfolk County Council Health Dept might be of interest (at least it was news to me!).

2010 salt targets in bread, pork sausages, beef burgers and takeaway meals
- Bread is the largest source of salt in the UK diet and Government targets for salt content are 1.1g per 100g. A survey of local bakers has revealed levels are on average 22% higher.
- In 2003 the Food Standards Agency established salt in pork sausages had increased from 2.2g to 2.4g per portion since 1991 and concluded all the sausages surveyed contained too much salt. The 2010 Government salt reduction target for sausages is 1.4g per 100g.
- Beef Burgers are high salt products regularly manufactured by local butchers. The Governments 2010 salt target is 1g per 100g.
- There are nearly 500 takeaway and fast food businesses in Norfolk. Takeaway foods are generally very high in salt content.
Trading Standards will sample and test white bread from local bakers, locally produced pork sausages samples, locally produced beef burger samples and takeaway foods with the aim of working with local producers to reduce salt levels to meet 2010 targets and improve health.

Salt reduction on local fish and chips
– There are over a 100 fish and chip shops in Norfolk where the traditional use of salt shakers can add over 3g of salt which is half the daily recommended intake. A new “healthier salt shaker” dispensing 50% less salt is now available and has been successfully introduced in parts of the UK. Trading Standards will purchase new healthier salt shakers and distribute them to all fish and chips shops in Norfolk reducing added salt on fish and chips and contributing to improved health.

 

[graham64]

How could you Dennis, "Fish and Chips" the mere mention of them brings on my carb cravings

A hungry Graham

 

[Trinkwasser]

Rather than reduce salt (which only affects a proportion of people with high blood pressure) a suggestion from elsewhere is to add more potassium, which may affect more people, not just the sodium sensitive population

CAUTION! Check if you are on BP meds or diuretics, some are adversely affected by potassium

 

[cugila]

Quick Facts on Salt / Sodium.

Most sodium is consumed in the form of sodium chloride which is table salt. Other forms of sodium are also found in food, so watch out for salt AND sodium.
Try to have less than 2,400 milligrams of sodium a day — that's the same as 6 grams of salt a day, or about 1 teaspoon
That includes ALL sodium and salt — what's in the product, and added in cooking and at the table
Processed foods account for most of the sodium and salt consumed
Check food labels — sodium is in some foods you might not expect, such as soy sauce and some antacids
Specialist salt and sea salt are just that — salt. Don't forget to include them in adding up your sodium intake for the day

Reducing salt in the diet can lower blood pressure. Whatever health you are in.

I am converted to the idea that more salt in the diet is NOT a good idea. I have to watch my BP. I also don't think we need anything like the amount of salt that we actually consume on a daily basis.
as an example, one 360g pack of M & S Macaroni Cheese from the Count on Us Dieting range - has
1.25 g of salt. That is 21% of the guideline daily amounts !