Which Foods Contain Salt?
It can be surprising which foods contribute the most salt to our diets. Some foods that we eat every day are not necessarily high in salt but because we eat plenty of them they contribute a lot to our daily salt intake. Salt is naturally present at low levels in all foods but around 80% of our salt intake is hidden in processed food.
Most of the salt children and adults eat is hidden in processed and convenience foods, and the rest comes from salt added during cooking and any salt added at the table.
Foods that are often high in salt
| Anchovies Bacon Cheese Chips (if salt added) Coated chicken e.g. nuggets Corn snacks e.g. Wotsits Gravy granules |
Ham Noodle snacks pots Olives Pickles Potato snacks e.g. Hula Hoops Prawns Salami |
Salted and dry roasted nuts Salt fish Sausages Smoked meat and fish Soy sauce Stock cubes and bouillon Yeast extract e.g. Marmite |
Foods where some brands are high in salt
| Baked beans Biscuits Burgers Breakfast cereals Bread and bread products Cakes and pastries |
Cooking sauces Crisps Filled pasta Pasta sauces Pizza Potato croquettes |
Ready meals Soup Sandwiches Sausages Tinned pasta Tomato Ketchup |
Foods that are low in salt
| Breakfast cereals* e.g. Shredded Wheat Couscous Eggs Emmental Fresh fish Fresh meat and poultry Fromage frais |
Fruit and Vegetables (dried, fresh, frozen and tinned)** Homemade bread* Homemade sauces* Homemade soup* Mozzarella Pasta and Rice Plain cheese spreads |
Plain cottage cheese Plain popcorn Porridge oats Pulses (peas, beans, lentils)** Ricotta Seeds Unsalted nuts Yogurt |
* with no added salt
** choose tinned products with no added salt
