I eat tinned green beans, butter beans and kidney beans nearly every day, which I assume are processed foods. I've heard that processed foods are high in salt, so should I stop eating tinned veg and beans?

It's true that tinned vegetables and beans are 'processed', but that doesn't mean they aren't good for you.

Often people use the term processed food' as shorthand for poor-quality, unhealthy food and there are many processed foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt, and low in vitamins and minerals. But bear in mind that most foods that we eat have been processed in some way - for example, wheat is processed into flour, and milk is processed into cheese. So the fact that food is processed doesn't mean that it automatically becomes an unhealthy choice.

Tinned pulses, such as butter beans and kidney beans, contain protein, fibre, iron, calcium and thiamin (also known as vitamin B1). And they are much more convenient than dried pulses, which need to be soaked and cooked for a long time.

Choose tins of pulses and vegetables that say 'no added salt', when you can. If there isn't a salt-free option, try to choose the brand that is lowest in salt. You can also reduce the salt content of tinned pulses and veg by draining and rinsing them under running water.

Remember that baked beans can be high in salt (and you can't rinse them), so choose lower-salt versions when possible.

Tinned vegetables such as green beans, carrots and peas are also convenient because they keep for a long time. Tinned veg contain lower levels of vitamin C than fresh or frozen veg, but they contain more beta-carotene, iron and calcium than freshly boiled veg.

Tinned pulses and vegetables count towards the five portions of fruit and veg we should all be aiming to eat every day. One portion is three heaped tablespoons.

Try to eat a variety of fruit and veg, including some that are fresh and frozen. Don't eat only tinned or dried fruit and veg, because these are lower in certain vitamins, including vitamin C.

I notice that some bottles of natural mineral water contain sodium. Is it OK to drink it?

It is true that some mineral waters contain sodium. The amount they contain can vary quite a lot from one brand to another, because each has a different mixture of minerals depending on where the water comes from. There aren't any controls on how much sodium a mineral water can contain.

Spring water and other bottled water, for example 'table water', are different to mineral water because there is a limit on the amount of sodium these can contain. They essentially have to meet the same standards as tap water, with a limit of 200mg sodium per litre. These types of water are generally low in sodium.

So, there's no need to avoid drinking mineral, spring or other types of bottled water, but if you drink a lot each day it's a good idea to compare labels and choose the one with the lowest amount of sodium per litre.

Should I use reduced-sodium alternatives instead of salt?

Reduced-sodium alternatives contain less sodium than standard salt and taste similar. But they are not sodium-free, so you will still be adding sodium to your food if you use these products. (Sodium is the part of salt that can lead to high blood pressure if you have too much.) Salt substitutes are not suitable for some people, so always check the label.

Also, because these alternatives taste salty, they don't help you get used to less salty flavours. It's better to gradually reduce the amount of salt you add when you're cooking and eating, until finally you use hardly any - or none at all. It doesn't take long for your taste buds to get used to less salt and then you might appreciate some other flavours more.

See Salt tips to find out other ways of adding flavour.

Another thing to bear in mind is that 75% of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy, so while it is important to cut down on the salt we add ourselves, it is also very important to check the labels of food products and try to choose those that are lower in salt. See Understanding labels to find out more.

Are smoked foods high in salt?

Smoked foods are generally high in salt because the traditional smoking process includes adding salt to preserve the food. During the smoking process, foods are prepared and then salted using either salt or brine (salt in water). They are then placed into ovens and smoked, usually using wood smoke, for anything up to two days.

Smoked foods can sometimes contain up to 50 times more salt than the same foods that haven't been smoked. For example, fresh salmon contains 0.1g salt per 100g, but when smoked this increases to 4.7g salt per 100g. And fresh mackerel contains 0.15g salt per 100g, which increases to 1.9g salt per 100g when smoked.

This doesn't mean that you should avoid eating smoked foods altogether, but try to avoid eating lots of foods like this that are high in salt (more than 1.5g salt per 100g).

Bear in mind that some foods that are often smoked may still be high in salt when not smoked, such as bacon.

I've heard that ready meals are high in salt. Should I stop eating them?

There are lots of different types of ready meal. It's true that some ready meals are high in salt, but not all of them. The important thing is to remember to look at the label.

So you don't need to avoid ready meals, but when you're choosing food in the shops, compare different ready meals to see how much salt they contain and try to go for the one that is lower in salt. See Understanding labels to find out more.

Remember that children under 11 should have less salt than adults, so a ready meal (or other food) that is high in salt would take them even closer to their daily recommended maximum of salt. See Babies and children for information on the daily maximums for different age groups.

Don't forget that some ready meals can be high in fat and saturated fat too. See our eatwell site for more advice on making healthier choices at the shops.

I'm finding it hard to find reduced-salt stock cubes. What's the alternative?

There are some reduced-salt stock cubes and granules available, but even these can contain quite a lot of salt. So it's a good idea to cut down on the amount you use. Try using just half a stock cube instead of a whole one. Or use water, herbs and maybe a bit of wine in cooking, instead of stock.

If you have time, try making your own salt-free stock. You could make a large batch, divide it into smaller portions and freeze it, so you always have some to hand when you need it.

To make a salt-free vegetable stock, roughly chop some vegetables - for example 2 large carrots, 6 sticks of celery, 2 medium onions, 1 large parsnip - and place them in a large pan with 1 bayleaf, 2 teaspoons of black peppercorns and 2.5 litres of water. Simmer uncovered for 1 hour, then strain.

If you would like to make a meat-based stock, you may be able to buy bones from your local butcher. Or, if you have cooked a whole chicken, you could use the carcass to make stock. To make beef or chicken stock, place 1.5kg beef or chicken bones (or a chicken carcass) and 2 roughly chopped onions in a roasting tin and bake in a hot oven until the bones are well browned (about 1 hour). Transfer the bones and onions to a large saucepan, add 2 roughly chopped sticks of celery, 2 chopped carrots, 1 bay leaf, 2 teaspoons of black peppercorns and 2.5 litres of water. Simmer uncovered for 3 hours, then strain.

Or to make fish stock, place 0.75kg fish bones, 1 medium onion, 2 sticks of celery, 1 bay leaf and 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns in a large pan, cover with 1.5 litres of water and simmer for 20 minutes, then strain.

When making fresh stock, always remember to cool it quickly, skim any fat from the top and then put it in the fridge or freezer as soon as possible.

I have a bread making machine and have tried to make bread without salt, but I can't get the dough to rise. Can you suggest how to make bread with no salt?

There are a number of reasons why salt is used in bread making. It adds flavour, it helps the bread take shape and it stops the bread rising too much. This is because salt slows down the yeast, unlike sugar which speeds the yeast up. So without salt, the yeast makes the dough rise too much, giving you a poor loaf and a collapsed crust.

You can make bread at home without salt but if you take the salt out of a bread making recipe then you may need to lower the amount of yeast or sugar, or both, to get a better loaf. The Blood Pressure Association has a factsheet on making salt-free bread which can be found at the link below.

You can also be creative and use herbs and spices to make up for the loss of flavour and make a really tasty salt-free loaf.

It's important to remember that it's easy to change the recipe and keep an eye on your bread when you’re making it at home. But it's more difficult to do this in large-scale commercial bakeries, where batches are made in large numbers, which is why salt is still used in the bread we buy at the supermarket or the bakery.

The Blood Pressure Association produces a factsheet on making low-salt bread.

Are some ethnic groups more at risk of high blood pressure?

Yes, some ethnic groups are more likely to have high blood pressure than others. For example, most UK population surveys show that more African-Caribbean people have high blood pressure than the national average.

It is estimated that as many as half of African-Caribbean people over the age of 40 have high blood pressure. Stroke is also more common in African-Caribbean people.

Eating less salt is one important step that African-Caribbean people can take to reduce their risk of high blood pressure and stroke, especially since some traditional African-Caribbean foods can be very high in salt. See Blood pressure for information on other factors that can increase the risk of high blood pressure.

Some other ethnic groups living in the UK tend to have lower rates of high blood pressure, for example people of Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Chinese origin. However, this doesn't mean that people in these groups can't develop high blood pressure, so they should still be careful not to eat too much salt.

People of South Asian (including Pakistani and Bangladeshi) origin living in the UK are at greater risk of heart disease than the general population. So they can benefit a lot from changing their diet and lifestyle to reduce their risk of heart disease. See Heart disease for more information.

I'm worried that my daughter might be having too much salt. How can I help her to cut down?

Most people, including children, are having a lot more salt than they should. So it's a good idea to watch your daughter's salt intake – and your own.

If children have too much salt, this could affect their health in the future. And it could also give them a taste for salty food, which means they're more likely to continue eating too much salt when they grow up.

Eating a diet that is high in salt can increase the chances of heart disease and stroke in later life. This is because salt contains sodium and having too much sodium can cause high blood pressure, also called hypertension.

The maximum amount of salt a child should have depends on their age:

• 1 to 3 years – 2 g a day (0.8g sodium)
• 4 to 6 years – 3g salt a day (1.2g sodium)
• 7 to 10 years – 5g a day (2g sodium)
• 11 and over – 6g a day (2.4g sodium)

Babies under a year old should have even less salt.

About 75% of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy, including many breakfast cereals, biscuits, soups, sauces, ready-prepared meals, crisps and savoury snacks. So it's important to shop carefully.

If you can, try to choose products that say 'no added salt'. It's also a good idea to compare the nutritional information on different products, to help you choose those that contain less salt.

Another way to reduce the amount of salt your daughter eats is to cut down on salty snacks, such as crisps and salted nuts, and give her low-salt snacks instead. You could try:

• dried fruit
• sticks of crunchy vegetables
• easy-to-eat fruit such as grapes and satsumas
• mixed dried fruit and unsalted nuts (but don't give these to under 5s because of the risk of choking)

Other ways to cut down on salt include:

• trying not to add salt to food when you're cooking
• tasting food first, rather than automatically adding salt
• eating less of salty foods such as cheese, bacon, pickles, smoked fish and anchovies

I've heard that lots of foods we buy are high in salt. Is this true?

Foods such as ready-prepared meals, tinned vegetables, soups and some types of bread, breakfast cereals, biscuits and sauces can be high in salt. In fact, about three-quarters of the salt we eat comes from food products we buy.

Most of us eat a lot more salt than we should, so it's a good idea to cut down. This is because salt contains sodium and having too much sodium can raise blood pressure. Adults should try to eat no more than 6g salt (2.4g sodium) each day.

Next time you go shopping, compare the labels on different foods, to help you choose those that are lower in salt. Look at the figure for salt per 100g.

High is more than 1.5g salt per 100g (or 0.6g sodium)
Low is 0.3g salt or less per 100g (or 0.1g sodium)

If the amount of salt per 100g is in between these figures, then that is a medium level of salt.

Remember that the amount you eat of a particular food affects how much salt you will get from it.

It's also a good idea to cut down on the salt we add to cooking or at the table. And try not to overdo salty foods such as crisps, salted nuts, bacon, cheese, pickles and smoked fish.

I don't cook with salt, I don't eat crisps or other salty snacks and I rarely eat processed food, takeaway or restaurant food. Should I be trying to eat more salt?

It's actually very difficult to eat too little salt. And there is little or no evidence that having a low intake of salt has a negative effect on health.

Most people in the UK eat much more salt than they should. On average, we're eating 9g salt a day, but we should be having no more than 6g salt (2.4g sodium).

It's important not to eat too much salt because salt contains sodium, which can raise blood pressure. And high blood pressure, sometimes called hypertension, increases the risk of stroke and coronary heart disease.

Three-quarters of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy. For example, some bread, breakfast cereals, savoury biscuits, tinned vegetables and soups can all be high in salt, as well as ready-prepared meals. So you might be eating more salt than you realise.

Next time you go shopping, compare the labels on different foods, to help you choose those that are lower in salt. Look at the figure for salt per 100g.

High is more than 1.5g salt per 100g (or 0.6g sodium)
Low is 0.3g salt or less per 100g (or 0.1g sodium)

If the amount of salt per 100g is in between these figures, then that is a medium level of salt.

Remember that the amount you eat of a particular food affects how much salt you will get from it.

Foods such as bacon, cheese, anchovies, pickles and smoked fish tend to be quite salty, so it's better not to eat too much of these.

I think I might be eating too much salt. How can I cut down?

Most of us are probably eating more salt than the maximum of 6g per day recommended for adults. But there are lots of ways we can reduce the amount of salt we eat. It's not just a case of adding less at the table, although this will help, because about three-quarters of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy.

For example, some types of bread, breakfast cereals, savoury biscuits, sauces, tinned vegetables and soups can be high in salt, as well as ready meals.

Salt is also known as sodium chloride. The reason we should watch the amount of salt we eat is because it contains sodium, and having too much sodium can raise blood pressure. Having high blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.

When you're shopping, try comparing the labels on similar foods – sometimes there can be a big difference in the amount of salt they contain.

Here are some other ways to cut down on salt:

• Be sparing with sauces, especially cooking sauces, soy sauce, brown sauce and tomato ketchup, because these can be high in salt.
• Cut down on salty snacks, such as crisps and salted nuts.
• Go for low-salt snacks, such as dried fruit, sticks of vegetables and unsalted nuts.
• Try to eat less of heavily salted foods, such as bacon, cheese, pickles and smoked fish.
• Choose canned vegetables and pulses that are marked 'no added salt'.
• Make your own stock or choose lower-salt stock cubes, because stock cubes tend to be high in salt.
• Add less salt to food when cooking.
• Use herbs and spices to add flavour to cooking, instead of salt.
• Get out of the habit of adding salt at the table – try to remember to taste food first.

How much salt should babies have?

Babies need only a very small amount of salt – less than 1 g a day up to 12 months.

Babies who are breastfed will receive the right amount of salt through breast milk. Infant formula contains a similar amount of salt to breast milk.

When you start introducing solid foods, remember not to add salt to foods you give to your baby because their kidneys can't cope with it.

Try to limit how much you let your baby eat of foods that are high in salt, such as cheese, bacon and sausages. And avoid giving your baby any foods that aren't made specifically for babies, such as pasta sauces and breakfast cereals, because these can be high in salt.

I'm checking food labels because I want to cut down on salt, but I'm confused because they often list sodium and not salt. What's the difference?

Salt is made up of two components – sodium and chloride. It's the sodium in salt that can lead to health problems.

To work out the amount of salt in a food, multiply the amount of sodium by 2.5.

Adults should have no more than 6 grams (g) of salt a day (2.4g sodium). And children should have even less. On average, adults are having about 8.6g of salt a day. This means we are eating 50% more salt than we should.

It's a good idea to compare the labels on different foods and choose the one that is lower in salt, or sodium.

Should I be watching how much salt is in my two year old's food?

We should all avoid eating too much salt, whatever our age. This is because salt contains sodium, and having too much sodium can cause high blood pressure (sometimes called hypertension), which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.

So, it's a good idea to keep an eye on how much salt your child is having. Children aged one to three shouldn't have more than 2g salt a day (about 0.8g sodium).

It's not just the salt we add to food that we need to look out for – lots of the foods we buy can be high in salt, including some products aimed at children. So remember to check the label and try to choose the lower-salt option.

Look at the figure for salt per 100g.

High is more than 1.5g salt per 100g (or 0.6g sodium)
Low is 0.3g salt or less per 100g (or 0.1g sodium)

If the amount of salt per 100g is in between these figures, then that is a medium level of salt. Remember that the amount you eat of a particular food affects how much salt you will get from it.

It's also a good idea to try to cut down on the number of salty snacks your child has, such as crisps and biscuits. Give them low-salt snacks, such as dried fruit, raw vegetable sticks, grapes and satsumas, instead.

Is it true that cutting down on salt causes leg cramps?

There are a number of different reasons that someone might get leg cramps and there is no evidence to show that cutting down on salt causes them. If you're concerned about cramps, talk to your GP.