Adding salt to your food while you’re cooking or at the table doesn’t have to be a hard habit to break and as most of us are eating more than the recommended daily amount of salt (5g) we need to think about cutting down. Too much salt can lead to high blood pressure and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

You could always try adding some mixed herbs or spices to give your food more flavour but it’s amazing how quickly your taste buds can adapt to dietary changes and if you reduce your salt intake gradually, you shouldn’t notice the difference.

The salt reduction plan

Here are some easy ways to reduce your salt intake:

• Don’t forget to check the labels on food packaging. Salt often appears as sodium on food labels (5g of salt is equivalent to 2.5g of sodium). For pre-prepared foods, look at the ‘amount per serving’.
• 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
• Watch out for salty snacks such as crisps and nuts, processed foods such as ready meals and takeaways and highly salted foods like bacon and cheese
• 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.