Use herbs and seasonings for flavour, not salt

Do you add salt to boiling water when cooking? Or sprinkle it to season foods in the kitchen or on the plate? Salt is an ancient way of bringing out flavour in foods, but eating too much of it is linked with cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure, which is seldom good news.

The better news is that there are plenty of other ways to improve the flavour of a dish without reaching for the salt cellar. With a bit of forethought, you can use other enhancers instead: try experimenting with fresh or dried herbs and with seasonings such as chilli, ginger and lemon or lime juice while cooking. But watch out for additions like soy sauce, stock cubes or spice mixes, which can contain salt themselves. And give your palate some time to adjust to the new tastes.