“I don’t eat much salt” - but these snacks say otherwise

Most people think their salt intake is fine.The problem is not just the salt you add at home — it’s the hidden salt in everyday snacks.

Too much salt over time leads to:

How much salt is safe?

Target: less than 5 grams of salt per day(roughly 1 teaspoon from all sources combined)

Most Indian diets end up around 8–12 grams per day, mainly because of packaged and ready-to-eat foods.

Common high-salt snacks in the Indian diet:

Namkeen / mixture / bhujiaAround 400–700 mg sodium in just 30 gramsVery easy to overeat without realising
Chips (potato or banana chips)About 500–800 mg sodium per small packetOften eaten mindlessly
Biscuits (even “light” or tea biscuits)Roughly 150–300 mg sodium in 2–3 biscuitsAdd up quickly with daily tea
Pickles (achar)Very high salt contentEven small quantities contribute significantly
Sauces (ketchup, soy sauce)1 tablespoon can contain 300–1000 mg sodiumOften overlooked but important

In this community

Instead of asking, “Can I eat this?”A better question is:“What is the sodium content and how often is it safe?”

Small reductions in salt make a real difference to blood pressure, kidneys, and overall health.

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