Shopping

Check the nutrition labels to keep track of your salt and sodium intake.

Look for 'reduced salt' or 'reduced sodium' advice on pack. These foods should be at least 25% lower in salt than the standard product. Opt for 'reduced salt' versions of foods whenever possible, including sliced bread, baked beans, crisps, biscuits, butter, fat spreads, soups, gravy granules, crackers and ready-meals.

Choose canned vegetables marked 'no added salt' and products such as tuna that are canned in water, rather than brine.

Try using 'low sodium' salt substitutes for use in cooking and at the table (but do not use these if you have kidney problems).

Cut down on inherently salty foods: cured meat, cheese, smoked meat and fish, olives, anchovies and soy sauce.

Cooking

Aim to reduce the amount of salt used in cooking – do this gradually as your taste buds may take time to adjust to the new taste.

If a recipe tells you to reduce the volume of a stock, add the seasoning after the ‘reducing’ stage, rather than before.

Experiment! We all want tasty food, so replace salt with other flavours. Try different herbs such as basil, chives, lemon grass, rosemary or coriander and spices such as chilli, ginger, garlic or cumin.

Taste your food before adding salt at the table, and then take just a little if needed.

Eating out

When your food arrives, taste it before adding salt. If you feel more salt is needed, add only a little.

Moderate the amount of sauces you add, such as soy sauce, as they can be high in salt.

You don't have to stop eating foods which are higher in salt, as all foods can fit into a healthy balanced diet. However, if you eat several high-salt foods, cut back the salt in other foods at other times to maintain a balance. Remember that the daily target intake of 6g salt (2.4g sodium) for adults is a maximum, but it is also an average, which can be achieved over a few days.

If you have hypertension or another medical condition you may need to follow a stricter diet plan – if in doubt always check with your doctor.