Salt and your health
Salt....Are you getting the right amount?
A small amount of salt is essential to our wellbeing. The
recommended guidelines state that adult needs about 1.4g per day
and children require less than a gram per day. Shockingly,
most adults consume between 9 - 12g per day!
Eating too much salt can increase your blood pressure. Increase
BP means you are more likely to suffer from heart attacks and
strokes. By reducing salt intake by around 2.5g per day, you can
reduce the risk of these conditions.
A high salt intake can also cause calcium loss, leading to
thinning of bone, stomach cancer and has also been found to
aggravate the symptoms of asthma.
Is amazing to find that three quarters of the salt we eat is
hidden in processed foods. This means only a quarter comes from
salt added at the table or time of cooking.
Some foods that are high in salt are:-
- Anchovies
- Bacon
- Cheese
- Soy Sauce
- Stock cubes
- Prawns
Foods which have a low salt content are:-
Eggs
Fresh meat & poultry
Fruit & Vegetables
Ricotta
Pulses
All of this means you should still try to eat a well balanced
diet incorporating small amounts of salt. For more information
click the link below.
Action on Salt
Food Standards
Agency
Main Contact
Health and Wellbeing Team
Environmental Health (Commercial) Services
Telephone: (01902) 696683
Fax: (01902) 696222
Email: env.commercial@sstaffs.gov.uk