Eat Better - guidance on how to reduce SALT

[PAHaworth]

How to reduce salt intake
1 Limit the intake of food containing high levels of salt.
2 Reduce or omit the addition of salt to food at the table.
3 Restrict the amount of salt added to food in preparation or cooking.
Examples
 When boiling vegetables, try not to add salt both to the cooking water and to the food at the table (adding no salt will allow you to taste the natural flavour of the vegetables).
 Many packet and convenience foods have high levels of added salt whereas home-made dishes can contain much less.
 If, when making a stew, a stock cube is added, additional salt is not necessary. Additional salt, may be completely or partially substituted by other flavours such as herbs, spices, pepper, tomato, lemon juice, vinegar.
 Instead of having a salt shaker at the table, try just offering a pepper pot or a mixed seasoning shaker.
 Sprinkling salt on a meal even before tasting it can be a habit. In such cases, salt may be omitted from cooking with little difference being detected at the table. It would, however, be preferable to enjoy the real flavour of the food, rather than the taste of salt!

Try the following suggestions to reduce or replace salt
With beef: try horseradish, ginger, tomato, bay leaf, beer, black pepper, mustard.
With chicken: try lemon juice, garlic, paprika, parsley, orange juice, almonds, coconut.
With fish: try freshly ground pepper, lemon juice, paprika, parsley, orange juice, almonds, coconut.
With pork: try ginger, garlic, thyme, sage, apple, pineapple, cider.
With lamb: try mint, rosemary, basil, redcurrant, apricot, kidney beans, chilli/chilli powder, onion, tomato, vinaigrette.
With potatoes: try mint, parsley, onion.
With rice: try turmeric, saffron, onion, green pepper, cucumber, mint, vinegar, yogurt.
With green beans: try lemon juice, dill.
With peas: try mint, parsley.
With cabbage: try thyme, nutmeg, apple, apple juice.
With carrots: try parsley, cloves, tarragon, lemon juice.
With tomatoes: try basil, oregano, marjoram, vinaigrette.

And remember not to overcook vegetables - both for health and for flavour.

FOOD CONTAINING HIGH SALT LEVELS
Most varieties of hard cheese, Ham, Bacon, Yeast extract.
Foods with high levels of salt added
Pizzas
Packet soups and sauces
Canned soups, spaghetti, baked beans
Meat products e.g. pies and sausages
Salted crisps and nuts, also salted savoury biscuits and snacks
Canned meat e.g. corned beef
Canned sausages e.g. frankfurters
Canned fish e.g. sardines
Canned vegetables with added salt
Sauces e.g. tomato, brown, spicy, soy
Chinese dishes rich in soy sauce
Smoked fish e.g. kippers
Stock cubes
Some bran cereals
Salad dressing
Butter and margarine.

Alternative foods containing less salt.
Crisps and nuts without added salt (or packets with salt shakers)
Frozen/fresh meat and white fish
Frozen/fresh vegetables
Canned vegetables with no added salt
Home-made salad dressings
Baked beans with reduced salt
Unsalted butter and margarine
Puffed wheat cereals.