| Belgium | No more than 5 g of salt per day | - Choose low-salt products and avoid adding salt when preparing food and during meals. - Herbs and spices (fresh, frozen or dehydrated/freeze-dried) are excellent alternatives for adding flavour to foods. - Limit ultra-processed food, pre-prepared meals, processed meat, salty snacks, sauces, spice mixes high in salt. - Substitute salt with spices, broth cubes with herbs, potato chips with unsweetened and unsalted nuts, pre-prepared meals with home-cooked ones. | |
| Note: High-salt products include snacks such as crisps, coated peanuts, salty snack foods, crackers, salt and salted condiments, stock, stock cubes, pickles, onions in brine/vinegar, capers | |
| Bulgaria | 5 grams daily | - Limit the use of salt and the consumption of salty foods. - Choose foods that are low in salt. - Limit the consumption of canned food, sausages, salted fish, pickles. - Prepare the food with a little salt, avoid adding extra salt to the food at the table. - Instead of salt, flavour the food with vegetable spices and flavourings such as lemon juice and vinegar. | |
| Czechia | - | -Limit the intake of table salt and foods with a higher salt content (salted sausages, fish products, cheese, chips, salted bars and nuts), do not salt ready meals. | |
Country | Quantitative recommendations | Qualitative recommendations | Portion size |
| Denmark | - | Reduce your intake of salt by choosing foods marked with the Keyhole label | |
| | Note: Some of the biggest sources of salt are bread, cold cuts, cheese and ready-made meals | |
| Germany | You should not eat more than 6 g salt per day | - Use salt sparingly and reduce the share of high-salt foods. - Season creatively with herbs and spices. - If you use salt, choose iodised and fluoridated salt. | |
| Estonia | Adults: max. 6 g | | |
| Note: Includes added salt + salt from foods | |
Country | Quantitative recommendations | Qualitative recommendations | Portion size |
| Ireland | - | - Limit foods and drinks high in salt to sometimes and only in small amounts. - Choose foods with a low salt content. - Do not give children the 'salt habit'. Do not add salt to their food during cooking and keep salt out of sight at the table. Flavour foods with pepper, herbs and spices, lemon juice, vinegar. | |
| Note: Recommendations for other categories are mindful of salt content but no specific recommendations are made for salt | |
| Greece | Less than 5 g (1 tsp) per day. | Limit salt intake. Enhance the flavour of foods by adding herbs and spices (dill, mint, thyme, oregano, etc.) | |
| Spain | Up to 5 g per day | - Use iodised salt. - Use herbs and seasonings (oregano, thyme, paprika...) to reduce salt intake. | |
Country | Quantitative recommendations | Qualitative recommendations | Portion size |
| France | - | - Reduce salt intake. - Be mindful of your cumulative salt intake over the course of the day. - Savoury foods and salt addition: Savoury foods comprise foods rich in salt and foods contributing substantially to salt intake (e.g. bread). Limit the addition of salt in the kitchen and at the table. Taste first before adding salt. Do not add salt when consuming canned products. - Choose iodised salt. | |
| Croatia | Avoid adding salt to prepared foods | Limit sweets, salt and fat | |
| Italy | Salt intake < 5 g per day (2 g sodium) | - Use iodised salt. - Gradually decrease the use of salt both at the table and in the kitchen. - Limit the use of alternative seasonings containing sodium (bouillon cubes, ketchup, soy sauce, mustard, etc.). - Season foods with herbs [examples given]. Lemon juice and vinegar can add flavour to your dishes. | |
Country | Quantitative recommendations | Qualitative recommendations | Portion size |
| Cyprus | < 5 g per day. | Do not use extra salt in food. Be aware of hidden salt (soy sauce, sausages, sodas, many preservatives in food, etc.). Do not add salt to the cooking water of V and pasta. | |
| Notes: Try adding aromatic herbs (e.g. onion, garlic, pepper, bay leaves, basil, mint, oregano, cinnamon), vinegar or lemon juice, tomato during cooking. Buy sauces, seasonings, broths with less salt. Reduce the quantity of ready-made sauces and other flavouring used in cooking. Try the food before adding salt. In the restaurant, select dishes without sauce or ask for the sauce to be served separately to better control the quantity eaten. | |
| Latvia | Daily salt intake should not exceed 5 g (i.e. one teaspoon) | - Limit salt and products containing salt in the diet. - Avoid adding salt when cooking. - Replace salt with various spices and herbs. - Use iodized salt. - Read the labels. | |
| Notes: A lot of salt means: 1.25 g or more of salt per 100 g of product; Moderate salt means: 0.25 to 1.25 g of salt per 100 g of product; Low salt means: 0.25 g or less salt per 100 g of product. | |
| Lithuania | Up to 5 grams per day | - Eat unsalted food; limit the amount of salt in your cooking. - Choose foods and prepared (over-processed) foods that are low in salt. - Instead of salt, flavour food with herbs or other unsalted spices. | |
Country | Quantitative recommendations | Qualitative recommendations | Portion size |
| Luxembourg | - | Limit the amount of salt you consume, opt for iodised salt. Taste your food before adding salt. Reduce the amount of salt you add to cooking water (1 teaspoon of salt for 1 litre of water). Use spices and aromatic herbs to season your dishes. Reduce your consumption of the saltiest cheeses and cured meats, as well as savoury nibbles (crisps, etc.). | |
| Hungary | - | - When shopping choose foods with less salt, fat, and sugar. - Replace some of the salt with fresh or dried herbs. | |
| Malta | ≤ 5 gram per day | - Choose foods with a low salt content and limit the use of salt when preparing food. - Add herbs and spices. Add garlic and onions, vinegar and/or lemon juice. - Avoid adding salt to your food during cooking or at the table. | |
| Note: To give flavour and add palatability to food without adding salt, saturated fats and free sugars: add herbs and spices, add garlic and onions, vinegar and/or lemon juice. | |
Country | Quantitative recommendations | Qualitative recommendations | Portion size |
| Netherlands | Limit salt intake to 6 g daily | - | |
| Austria | Max. 6 g per day | - Limit consumption of high-salt foods. - Use herbs and spices instead of salt. | |
| Poland | Max. 5 g per day | - Use herbs and spices to improve taste. - Choose fresh products instead of processed ones. - Read labels and check food composition. | |
Country | Quantitative recommendations | Qualitative recommendations | Portion size |
| Portugal | Less than 5 g per day | - Moderate consumption of foods and food products high in salt such as cold meats, canned foods, chips and salty snacks. - Use herbs and spices for seasoning. | |
| Romania | - | - Moderate salt intake. - Reduce intake, stick to small amounts. | |
| Slovenia | Up to 5 g daily | - Eat less salty food. - Do not add extra salt to the food at the table. | |
| Note: Most salt is found in processed foods, especially processed meats, cheeses, breads, snacks and ready meals | |
Country | Quantitative recommendations | Qualitative recommendations | Portion size |
| Slovakia | Max. 5 g of salt per day (equals 1 full tsp) | - Reduce salt intake. - Do not place the salt cellar on the table. | |
| Finland | Salt intake should be < 5 g/day | - Eat less salt. - Use iodised salt. - Select low-salt foods. - Do not eat high-salt foods very often. | |
| Notes: You can get used to the taste of less salty food by introducing lower-salt foods step by step and gradually reducing your use of table salt. Replace salt with different herbs, salt-free seasoning and fruit juices. Mineral salt is also a good alternative, as long as you are careful not to use more of it than ordinary table salt. If you use high-salt ingredients in food, including sausage, cheese or marinated meat, chicken or fish products, it is usually not necessary to add salt to the dish. You can make dishes less salty by adding plenty of V. | |
| Sweden | - | - Less salt - Choose food with less salt. Use less salt when you cook, but choose salt with iodine when you do use it. | |
Country | Quantitative recommendations | Qualitative recommendations | Portion size |
| United Kingdom | No more than 6 g a day | Foods and drinks high in fat, salt or sugar are not needed in the diet and so, if included, should only be done infrequently and in small amounts | |
| Notes: Try replacing salt with pepper, herbs and spices to add flavour to your favourite dishes. Checking the label and choosing foods that are lower in salt is one of the best ways to cut down. | |
| Switzerland | 5-6 g per day | - Use salt with added iodine and fluoride, but only in limited quantities. - Other seasoning containing salt, such as seasoning sauce, soy sauce, stock, etc. should also be kept to a minimum. - Herbs and spices are a creative way to flavour dishes. | |
| Iceland | - | - Less salt. Choose foods with less salt and limit the use of salt when cooking. Choose fresh foods as processed foods are often rich in salt. Read the food labelling and choose more often food with less salt. - Decrease the use of salt gradually and replace it with other seasoning and herbs. - If you are eating salt rich foods, eat a small portion. - Choose products with the Keyhole label, they most often contain less salt. | |
| Note: Not included in FBDG but in a background document not intended for the public: Salt intake should be < 6 g/day | |
| Norway | - Less than 6 g salt per day. - On long-term 5 g salt per day. - For children below 2 years, no higher than 0,5 g salt per MJ. - For children 2-10 years, salt intake should be limited to 3-4 g per day. | - Choose foods that are low in salt and limit the use of salt when preparing food and at the table. - Replace some of the salt with fresh herbs and dried spices when preparing food. | |
