Check out the salt

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There are health benefits in reducing salt intake, as it can reduce the rise in blood pressure, but hypertension is one of the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. The effects are most significant in those with high blood pressure and those who are overweight. Reduced salt intake can also counteract the increase in blood pressure that usually accompanies higher age. High salt consumption is also associated with an increased risk of stomach cancer.

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It is desirable to reduce the salt intake (NaCl) so that it does not exceed 6 g per day on average for adults. This is equivalent to 2.4 g of sodium per day.

For children from 2 to 9 years of age, salt intake should be limited to 3–4 g per day.

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Highly processed foods are usually high in salt, e.g. processed meat, cheese, bread, packaged soups and sauces, snacks, ready meals, and fast food. Reading the outside food packaging and choosing the product containing less salt is recommended. When reading the packaging, you can use the criterion that a product is high in salt if it contains 1.25 g or more per 100 g.

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No, the type of salt does not matter; sodium from any salt can contribute to an increase in blood pressure.

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It can be difficult for people to realise how much salt they consume. The reason is that most of the salt in the diet, or about 75%, is hidden in food, such as processed meat, bread, cheese, packaged soups and sauces, ready meals, and fast food. It is, therefore, essential to look at the ingredient descriptions and nutrition labels and choose the less salty option. Skráargatið (The Keyhole) can also help because products labelled with the Keyhole usually contain less salt.

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Although salt consumption has decreased by 5% since 2002, Icelanders still consume too much salt. The results of the national dietary survey among adults conducted in 2019–2021 show this. Men's average salt consumption is at least 9 g, and women's 6.7 g daily. This applies to salt used in cooking according to everyday recipes and stated quantities in prepared dishes. It does not consider the salt that may be sprinkled on the plate or how much salt is used during cooking. Therefore, consumption is probably underestimated. The results of research on parents of 6-year-old children conducted by the Laboratory of Nutrition in which sodium was measured in 24-hour urine samples indicated that salt intake was underestimated by 2 g per day.

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By following healthy tips on how to reduce salt consumption. Choose foods with little salt and limit the use of salt during cooking. Avoid processed foods, as heavily processed foods are usually high in salt. Read the food packaging and choose the less salty option as often as possible. A product is considered high in salt if there is more than 1.25 g of salt (more than 0.5 g of sodium) in 100 grams. Taste the food before adding salt. Do not serve salt with the food. Consider the portion size if you eat salty products. Choose products with the label Skráargatið as they usually contain less salt.