Shake the Salt Habit

Omit salt from recipes or automatically reduce sodium by 25 per cent by measuring out the same amount of coarse salt instead—the coarse granules of these salts don’t pack as tightly into a measuring spoon.

Take the saltshaker off your table. If it’s not there, you may not think about adding salt to your meal.

Use other flavourings, such as herbs and spices, lemon or mustard to flavour your foods.

Use spices such as coriander, caraway and fennel seeds to add flavour to fish dishes and cooked vegetables.

Choose the “no added sugar or salt” varieties of canned foods such as kidney beans, chickpeas and sweet corn. If you can’t find beans packed in water, rinse them thoroughly before using them, to remove some of the salt.

Processed foods, such as canned soups, often contain very high levels of salt. Invest in a blender or food processor so that you can make your own.

Give unsalted or reduced-sodium pretzels, chips, peanuts and condiments a try.

Instead of adding salt, give cooked vegetables a bit of a lift by adding the zest (grated rind) and juice of a lemon.