Salt myths

I can't be eating too much salt because I don't add it to my food - FALSE
Since 75% of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy, such as some breakfast cereals, soups, sauces, ready meals and biscuits, it's easy to eat too much salt without adding any yourself. In fact, one or two servings of some foods could contain more than the recommended daily maximum for adults (6g). See Understanding labels for more information.

Food has no flavour without salt - FALSE
If you're used to foods that are high in salt, or adding lots of salt to your food, you could miss it when you first cut down. This is because our taste buds get used to high levels of salt.

But our taste buds can get used to eating less salt in a few weeks and then you're more likely to enjoy food with less salt, or without any salt at all. If a food contains lots of salt this can hide more subtle flavours, so you might prefer some foods with less salt when your taste buds have had time to adjust.

See Salt tips for ideas on ways to add flavour without using salt.

You can tell what foods are high in salt because they taste salty - FALSE
Some foods that are high in salt don't taste very salty. Sometimes this is because they have lots of sugar in them, for example some biscuits and breakfast cereals.

Also, our taste buds get used to high levels of salt, so you might not notice the saltiness of some foods. When people get used to eating less salt their taste buds become more sensitive. So sometimes when they eat a food they used to eat all the time, they are surprised to find how salty it tastes.

Only old people need to worry about how much salt they eat - FALSE
Eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure at any age. It's true that you have less chance of developing heart disease or stroke in your 20s or 30s than when you're older. But if you have high blood pressure when you're young, you're still at greater risk than someone the same age with normal blood pressure.

Posh salt is better for you than table salt - FALSE
Salt is also known as sodium chloride. It's the sodium in salt that can raise your blood pressure. It doesn't matter how expensive salt is, where it is from, or whether it comes in grains, crystals or flakes - it still contains sodium.

You need more salt in hot climates because you sweat so much - FALSE
We only lose a small amount of salt through sweat, even in extremely hot places. So there's no need to eat more salt in hot climates. But it's important to drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated.

If I cut down on salt my body won't have enough - FALSE
It's actually very difficult to eat too little salt. This is because it's in so many everyday foods, such as breakfast cereals, ready meals, soups, sauces and biscuits. And people in some countries survive on a fraction of the amount of salt eaten by people in the UK.

I would know if I had high blood pressure - FALSE
Many people with high blood pressure have no symptoms, so you can't assume that your blood pressure is normal if you haven't had it tested. In England, a third of people (31.7% of men and 29.5% of women) have high blood pressure.