Salt content?

[kawaii123]

OK so this might sound like a really naive question but I am a first time mum!

I want to just give DS the same things we eat (just turned one) but obviously there is constant clamour about salt content. He is quite adventurous, I make curries and persian food for him etc that he likes. He even has the occasional slightly spicy thing. I wasn't planning on giving him bacon or adding salt to food but I do make things that have some salt in them. For example, soy sauce or sometimes a stock cube.

I know of course everything is OK in moderation but I don't know where the moderation level is drawn when it comes to a baby. He loves gnocchi for example and would save me a lot of time if I could just buy it rather than make it but I know that has some salt in so would be wary of giving it or similar to him daily.

Am I being ridiculous? Do you all give your one year olds pretty much the same thing as you eat?

I think the 'no salt' hysteria is a response to the discovery that some idiot is putting gravy granules in the baby's bottle for breakfast. We can't be trusted with the idea of moderation so they stipulate 'nothing at all' to be on the safe side. My view is that lightly salted/seasoned, home-cooked food is fine but you don't slather it in extra salt at the table, supplement it with big quantities of processed junk or offer Biltong as an aid to teething. :)

Cogito always talks sense OP! I think I asked a similar question about a year ago (when my DD turned 1) as I was very confused.

I couldn't get my head around the change from the absolute no salt ever rule before they are 1 to an idea that they should eat a 'normal' diet. I had no idea if what I considered 'normal' was the same as my health visitor!

To ease your fears take a look at the salt content of your usual foods and then do a rough estimate of your DS's portion size. I hazard a guess that he will eat so little of it that most things won't make much difference. My DD's appetite dropped loads by about 15-18months so I definitely stopped worrying then. A beef stock cube in my bolognese hardly makes a difference if she only eats a few mouthfuls of it!

I generally i don't feed my DD crisps or take aways or ready meals so I reckon most things are fair game!

My dd (now 2yo) has always eaten pretty much what we have after all the palaver that was made over ds (dc1). I cook most things from scratch so I don't tend to add salt apart from bread and yorkshire puddings and the occassional spice mix I know she won't have more than 1/2 a portion (and I've added 1/2 tsp of salt for 8 portions).

I do use reduced salt stock cubes but having actually checked the salt content on them beef oxo reduced salt is the only one with a substantial difference to the standard ones.

I don't use soy sauce but I think you can get reduced salt versions. I don't buy spice mixes, I make my own so I can control the salt content (i.e. none most times). If I buy things like tinned sweetcorn I make sure they have no added salt.

I do (and have always) given dd things like bacon, salami, cheese, ham and other such salty foods. But she has one small portion a day. She doesn't have things like cereals and other sweet foods that can have a surprisingly high salt content. Also stuff like olives and other 'posh foods' people seem to forget also have high salt contents

Just keep an eye on it and don't add salt to her servings. Stuff like gnocchi will be fine but then limit other salty foods that day. If there is recipes you add salt to - reduce the amount to minimal. I calorie count and keep an eye on my salt allowance as part of that and knowing how small her portions are to mine and I am well under an adult allowance means I relax anyway.

Cogito is right there was a big case a few years back when some idiot had been feeing their 12 week old baby with instant mash and gravy from granules. The baby died from too much salt.

Here

and here

A 1 year old can cope with (and I believe needs - as it states at that bottom of the bbc link severly restricting salt can cause problems) salt in small quantities. My girls had bought gnochi from a young age (about 10 months I think). I have never avoided stock cubes. I wouldn't however add salt to a babies food, I would always take their portion out first, and I would avoid crisps and ready meals.

When DS turned one I asked all those questions too, then realised as others have said that it's aimed at people who don't understand moderation. Best to say none at all.

You sound sensible and you do home cooking and understand what's salty and what isn't. Just go with your instinct.