BEING “WORTH YOUR SALT” is a saying that reflects how highly those white flakes of intense flavour were once prized. Historically they were a valuable commodity – but now they’ve become a bit of a salty issue. While too much salt might be bad for your health, you do need some for your body to function. ‘Salt is the primary source of the mineral sodium. Your body needs sodium in very small amounts for many essential body functions, including fluid balance, nerve health, nutrient absorption, and muscle function,’ says Sonia Pombo, nutritionist and spokesperson for Action on Salt (actiononsalt.org.uk).
Sonia says we need about 1g of salt per day, which is about a pinch. But the problem is we’re eating up to 10g per day because the food industry throws piles of salt into processed foods, such as bread, tinned soup, sauces, processed meat and
