How much salt do you eat per day?

[Northerner]

Following on from pav's post earlier, I thought it might be interesting to see how much salt we actually eat each day. So, if people are willing, note down the amount of salt in the portions of food you eat and add them up, then post the total here the following day. We're not supposed to exceed 6g total.

 

[AlisonM]

I got used to using very little salt when mum was alive as she had high BP and high cholesterol so we went on a low salt regime for her sake. Nowadays, I rarely add salt to food when I'm cooking, preferring to use herbs and spices instead. I do sometimes add a little when it's on the plate though. I've no idea how much exactly, I've never measured it, but way less than 6g per day of that I'm sure.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I rarely if ever add salt either during cooking or eating. I'm pretty sure I must be pushing 6g though, because I do eat (among other things) bread, cheese and ham/sausages/bacon which are usually absolutely rammed with the stuff. 🙄

 

[Redkite]

Following on from pav's post earlier, I thought it might be interesting to see how much salt we actually eat each day. So, if people are willing, note down the amount of salt in the portions of food you eat and add them up, then post the total here the following day. We're not supposed to exceed 6g total.

And we were told it's <4g for kids 😱

Yesterday my son had (only listing the salt-containing items):

Breakfast: Cheerios 0.5g salt, 1 slice of bread 0.4g, Bertolli spread 0.06g

Lunch: 2 slices bread 0.8g, Bertolli spread 0.12g, 1slice ham 0.72g, mustard 0.2g, crisps 0.3g, salad cream 0.3g, icecream cone 0.02g.

Tea: no salt

TOTAL FOR THE DAY: 3.42g

 

[pav]

Looking at the food thats in the house at the moment the salt content is.

Bacon 1.5 g per full length rasher.
Slice of ham 0.35 g
Slice of turkey 0.35 g
Tinned spuds (for convenience) 0.1 g, could well be less as always rinse them well.
Bread 0.4 g per serving or 1 g per 100 g of bread.

 

[Redkite]

I rarely if ever add salt either during cooking or eating. I'm pretty sure I must be pushing 6g though, because I do eat (among other things) bread, cheese and ham/sausages/bacon which are usually absolutely rammed with the stuff. 🙄

You sort of expect it in processed meats, but it's scandalous that there are such high amounts of salt in cereals and breads.

 

[Redkite]

And watch out for items that list sodium content instead of salt. Salt is 2.5x the sodium amount! 😱

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

And watch out for items that list sodium content instead of salt. Salt is 2.5x the sodium amount! 😱

Thanks Redkite! I'd always wondered if there was a ready-reckoner conversion 🙂

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I'm always amazed by the amount in cheese.

Hula Hoops: 1.8g/100g
Bread: 1.15g/100g
Cheese: 1.7g/100g

So less than 0.5g in a bag of hula hoops... but a *massive* amount in a cheese sarnie, maybe 1.5g 😱

Still at least the cheese would help to keep the BG spike from the bread down a bit (silver lining)

 

[Northerner]

Well, I'm up to 1.99g so far today:

Slice Burgen toast 0.33g
Ham salad sandwich (on Burgen) = 1.46g
Activia vanilla yoghurt = 0.2g

It certainly adds up! 😱 I think the killer for me might be cheese...

edit: forgot the butter!

Anchor spreadable x 3 portions = 0.3g

 

[graj0]

And watch out for items that list sodium content instead of salt. Salt is 2.5x the sodium amount! 😱

Sorry, I'm confused! I've been able to measure the sodium (Na) that I consume and as I avoid processed foods that's down to less than 300 mg per day. I don't use salt (NaCl) in any shape form or manner and it doesn't seem to be a problem because I retain fluid like it's going out of fashion and I do drink lots of water (not drinking enough is said to make the body retain fluid).

So, are you saying that eating 300mg of Sodium is the same as eating 750 mg of Sodium Chloride? Sorry to mention chemistry, I got 15% in the exam I took when I was 14, I was that useless. It just seemed relevant because sodium is just part of what salt is.

Thanks

 

[Northerner]

Sorry, I'm confused! I've been able to measure the sodium (Na) that I consume and as I avoid processed foods that's down to less than 300 mg per day. I don't use salt (NaCl) in any shape form or manner and it doesn't seem to be a problem because I retain fluid like it's going out of fashion and I do drink lots of water (not drinking enough is said to make the body retain fluid).

So, are you saying that eating 300mg of Sodium is the same as eating 750 mg of Sodium Chloride? Sorry to mention chemistry, I got 15% in the exam I took when I was 14, I was that useless. It just seemed relevant because sodium is just part of what salt is.

Thanks

Actually, that's a point. I used to use a product called 'Lo-Salt' because it was potassium chloride, not sodium chloride. Is it as bad for us as ordinary salt i.e NaCl? Do manufacturers list it as just 'salt' if they use it instead of the sodium stuff? I know the Yanks tend to list just 'Sodium' when they also mean 'Salt'.

 

[Amberzak]

Because I have so many food intolorences (onions, certain spices and seasonings etc) I prepare most of my food from scratch. My salt, and fat, does spike when I eat out because I tend to eat the same 'safe' foods (dominos pizza, no other company, or chips from a pub). I don't like meat too much, and I like cheese but not loads of it.

I don't eat much bread as I like to keep my yeast down (prone to yeast infections) and I loath salty tasting foods (unless it's a really hot day, and then I tend to crave mc Donald's and Pringles, then I know I've not had enough salt.

I used to get really bad cramps, and so my dietician got me to record all my food. That's when we realised I don't get enough salt some days. Other days I will have too much ( like when we go for pizza) but we don't do that often because of money.

 

[Annette]

I seem to remember being told that, as diabetics, we shouldn't use Lo Salt because we had an impaired ability to get rid of the potassium in it - normally it is not stored but just flushed out by the kidneys - and potassium is toxic in not so large doses.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I seem to remember being told that, as diabetics, we shouldn't use Lo Salt because we had an impaired ability to get rid of the potassium in it - normally it is not stored but just flushed out by the kidneys - and potassium is toxic in not so large doses.

Interesting Annette, thanks for that. I had my potassium level flagged up in one set of tests last year, which they said was a possible query over kidney function.

I also forgot to factor in my standard 'nibble' - dry roasted peanuts.

Since I'm up to around 2.5g-3.5g so far today (depending on how many handfuls of peanut's I've had, I am pretty sure I am getting at least 6g of salt daily even though I do not add salt to anything.

 

[KookyCat]

Actually, that's a point. I used to use a product called 'Lo-Salt' because it was potassium chloride, not sodium chloride. Is it as bad for us as ordinary salt i.e NaCl? Do manufacturers list it as just 'salt' if they use it instead of the sodium stuff? I know the Yanks tend to list just 'Sodium' when they also mean 'Salt'.

Potassium can be as bad as salt if you're intake is too high. Potassium and sodium are pals, you need potassium to balance sodium, and in turn calcium and magnesium. I am always being nagged about low sodium levels because I don't like salt (except olives for which I have no explanation!). When I was veggie I was constantly being shouted at for at times dangerously low sodium, when admitted to hospital my sodium levels were on the floor but then when my potassium levels plummeted because of the rapid insulin infusion my sodium levels went through the roof (for me at any rate), everything swelled up and I had normal blood pressure (I'm usually low). The consultant confirmed it's because you need potassium to metabolise salt otherwise it stays in your bloodstream which is the place you don't want it. Potassium went up and hey presto low sodium, no fluid retention and low blood pressure. Too much potassium can cause heart problems though so it's a complex business! We do need a lot more potassium than sodium though so it's harder to get too much.
Oh and bottled water can have huge amounts of sodium if you drink a lot!

 

[Northerner]

I seem to remember being told that, as diabetics, we shouldn't use Lo Salt because we had an impaired ability to get rid of the potassium in it - normally it is not stored but just flushed out by the kidneys - and potassium is toxic in not so large doses.

I knew there was a reason why I stopped using it after getting diagnosed - thanks Annette! 🙂

 

[Northerner]

Potassium can be as bad as salt if you're intake is too high. Potassium and sodium are pals, you need potassium to balance sodium, and in turn calcium and magnesium. I am always being nagged about low sodium levels because I don't like salt (except olives for which I have no explanation!). When I was veggie I was constantly being shouted at for at times dangerously low sodium, when admitted to hospital my sodium levels were on the floor but then when my potassium levels plummeted because of the rapid insulin infusion my sodium levels went through the roof (for me at any rate), everything swelled up and I had normal blood pressure (I'm usually low). The consultant confirmed it's because you need potassium to metabolise salt otherwise it stays in your bloodstream which is the place you don't want it. Potassium went up and hey presto low sodium, no fluid retention and low blood pressure. Too much potassium can cause heart problems though so it's a complex business! We do need a lot more potassium than sodium though so it's harder to get too much.
Oh and bottled water can have huge amounts of sodium if you drink a lot!

Thank you also KookyCat! This will be why, at diagnosis I was given vast quantities of potassium on a daily basis! 🙂

 

[Bloden]

Ouch, science hurts my brain!

My OH adds salt when cooking - everything from scratch cos he looooves cooking - but I usually forget, and we never put salt on the table when we sit down to eat.

BUT we eat lots of processed ham and cheese...mind you, we need salt in our diets, don't we? Just something else to worry about!🙄

 

[Northerner]

Well, I did better than expected with my somewhat 'junky' evening meal. Couldn't be bothered to cook much so just stuck some fish fingers and chips in the oven and some peas in the microwave - a total of 0.96g for the meal and a total so far for the day of 3.4g. BUT...I feel the cheese may be calling later in the evening 😱