Most of the salt we eat is hidden in packaged and restaurant food, not in the salt shaker. Keeping salt under about one teaspoon a day meaningfully lowers blood pressure.
Key points
- Aim for less than 5 grams of salt a day — about one level teaspoon
- Most salt comes from pickles, papad, namkeen, sauces, packaged and restaurant food
- Do not keep a salt shaker on the dining table
- Use lemon, pepper, garlic, ginger and herbs to build flavour instead
- Reduce gradually — your taste adjusts within a few weeks
In more detail
Salt raises blood pressure, and blood pressure is one of the biggest causes of stroke, heart attack and kidney disease in India. Reducing salt is one of the most effective changes an ordinary person can make.
The common assumption is that salt comes from cooking. In practice a large share comes from elsewhere: pickle, papad, namkeen, biscuits, bread, instant noodles, sauces, processed cheese and restaurant food.
Start by removing the salt shaker from the table. Adding salt to food already cooked is habit rather than taste, and it disappears quickly once the shaker is not in front of you.
Replace, do not just remove. Lemon juice, black pepper, garlic, ginger, curry leaves, coriander and roasted cumin all add strong flavour with no salt. Food tastes bland only when salt is taken away and nothing put in its place.
Reduce gradually rather than all at once. Taste buds adjust over about two to four weeks, and food that seemed bland at first starts tasting normal — while heavily salted food starts tasting too salty.
If you have high blood pressure, kidney disease or heart failure, ask your doctor what target is right for you specifically.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much salt is safe per day?
The World Health Organization recommends less than 5 grams a day, roughly one level teaspoon. This includes salt already present in packaged and restaurant food, not just what you add while cooking.
Is rock salt or sendha namak healthier than table salt?
Not meaningfully. They contain sodium in similar amounts, and sodium is what affects blood pressure. Also note that most rock salt is not iodised, and iodine matters for thyroid health.