Over half our kids are eating more salt that they should.
Many everyday foods are not obviously salty, but they can contain high amounts of ‘hidden salt’. While we may add salt to our food during cooking or just before we eat it, about 75% of the salt we eat is already added to the food we buy. Most of this comes from salt added to foods like processed meat products, snacks (such as crisps and biscuits), ready meals, soups and pasta sauces.
Even bread and breakfast cereal can contain a lot of salt, however many manufacturers have recently made some positive changes to the amount of salt they add. Making the decision to cut down on processed foods can make a big difference, and it’s easier to do this if you are able to quickly check the salt content on food labels.
The British Dental Association’s tips on being “Salt Aware” are:
- Use little or no salt in cooking – try using extra herbs and spices instead such as black pepper.
- Leave the salt shaker off the table.
- Cut down on salty processed foods and ready meals and try and make your own if you can.
- Check out food labels for salt and go for lower salt choices. There can be a really big difference between different types and brands.
- Use the traffic light labels on the front of packaging to help you make smarter choices.
- Compare salt levels among similar products and try to choose those lower in salt.
- Ask in restaurants and takeaways for no added salt.
- Be wary of gourmet salts and salt substitutes claiming to be better for your health than table salt – these product ranges are still likely to add some form of salt to your diet.
We continue to promote healthy living and support the government’s initiative to make parents and children aware of what they are eating and improve their oral hygiene.
To see how much salt is in your food and to make sure your children are not eating too much, download Public Health England’s FREE Be Food Smart app.
If you live in the Plymouth area, the SpaDental Plymouth practice are planning a number of days over the February half term specifically for parents to bring their children in for a dental check-up. Click here for more information on the Plymouth Event