How Much Salt Per Day Is Safe?
Salt isn’t the villain it’s sometimes made out to be — you need some — but most people eat far more than is healthy, mostly without realising it.
The recommended limit
The WHO recommends under ~5 g of salt a day (about one teaspoon, ~2 g sodium). Many people, especially with Indian diets heavy on pickles, papad and namkeen, eat well over this — which raises blood pressure risk over time.
Where the salt hides
- Pickles, papad, namkeen, chips — major sources.
- Packaged and processed foods, sauces, instant noodles.
- Restaurant and fast food.
- Bakery items and packaged bread.
Cook fresh, go easy on packaged snacks, and taste before adding extra salt. Check labels — high salt is roughly over 1.5 g salt/100g.
Quick answers
How much salt is too much?
Regularly exceeding ~5 g a day (one teaspoon) raises long-term blood pressure risk. Most people eat well over this from packaged food.
How do I reduce my salt intake?
Cook fresh, cut back on pickles, papad, namkeen and packaged snacks, check labels, and taste before adding extra salt.
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