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Original poster

Is it ok to give babies some salt?

37 replies

marsup · 26/11/2004 21:51

I know salt is the big no-no for babies these days in the UK (though my French MIL gave me a recipe book that recommends adding a pinch of salt to baby main courses and a tablespoon of sugar for each dessert!!!) and I don't add it to cooking but there is salt in a lot of 'adult' food that I'm starting ds on (11 months today). Are the anti-salt warnings really just to stop people adding too much, or is it an absolute ban? and why? (can't remember the theory behind it, I'm afraid).

OP posts:
dolally · 26/11/2004 22:00

From what I remember,when mine were tiny, you were advised NEVER to add salt, and of course to avoid adult prepared food for the reason that they already have loads of salt added, even breakfast cereal. I can't remember the exact reasons either... I'm sure someone will come on with the technical details....

Mum2girls · 26/11/2004 22:13

Don't have the tech details either except it's safe to say if your ds is eating 'normal' foods - eg. cereals, bread, cheese etc. that he's no doubt getting all the salt he needs.

dawnie1 · 26/11/2004 22:18

I don't think you should add any salt - I think that nowadays all food you buy from the Supermarket is so processed they have added lots of salt before it even hits the shelves (even the so called organic products).

blossomhill · 26/11/2004 22:19

Personally I would avoid salt as much as possible with babies. I even avoid it as much as I can with my 5 and 6 year olds!

Gobbledigook · 26/11/2004 22:43

You should avoid adding salt before 12 months because the kidneys are not developed enough to cope.

After that I think it's just for general health reasons.

I don't add salt to anything.

Spanna05 · 27/11/2004 09:10

I know that too much salt is bad for everyone as it can lead to heart problems. (I don't know if you have seen the ads with the horrible slug in shouting at everybody to be wary of salt
). I never add salt to any cooking, but that doesn't mean to say that you can avoid salt altogether. My HV said that as long as you are not adding any more then over 12 months kids should be fine. If I use a recipe I don't add the salt, I just ignore it. My nan used to say that salt can be added afterwards if needed but you can never take it away when it has already been added, so I live by these words of wisdom quite a lot. HTH

soppy · 27/11/2004 09:35

I don't add salt either but give DS (10 months) bought bread and cheese. I try to get low-salt bread. Those of you who say 'NO salt', do you make your own?

SenoraPostrophe · 27/11/2004 09:41

I've said this before on here, but Spanish jars of baby food all contain salt.

With dd I avoided them and made her food or got people to bring jars from the UK. With ds I don't worry so much and he has some Spanish baby food - but I still make most of his food. I also give him the odd bit of bread.

soppy · 27/11/2004 13:55

This is useful

Kif · 27/11/2004 19:51

My HV reckoned it was a case of not having too much on any particular day. So if, for example, you want to give your baby cheese, remember that he has had that salt in the day, and avoid giving anytihng else that has salt in it.

Original poster
marsup · 29/11/2004 21:29

Good idea, Kif, about limiting salt per day. THe problem is that ds has just discovered breadsticks and rice crackers and also loves bread. He doesn't like finger food much apart from that so I am keen to have him eat his carbs by himself - and it is very hard to find salt-free versions! I also give him a tiny amount of cheese from time to time. And does anyone know where to get a salt-free stock cube? I wouldn't dream of adding salt per se (I don't add it to our own food most of the time) but the stock cubes I have been able to find list salt as their 2nd ingredient.

OP posts:
hoxtonchick · 29/11/2004 21:53

kallo make low salt stock cubes, & marigold do a low salt version of their bouillon powder. you should definitely find the latter in any decent sized supermarket.

GeorginaA · 29/11/2004 21:59

Note: low salt stocks are a labelling rip off.

The Marigold reduced stock is 0.5g per 100ml of sodium whereas a Knorr "normal" stock cube is "only" 0.4g per 100ml of sodium.

Lowest I've found is Tesco's fresh stocks which have 0.3g per 100ml of sodium - but they only seem to come in beef or chicken variety - not vegetable. Assume Sainsbury's version is much the same.

GeorginaA · 29/11/2004 22:00

um that should say "Marigold reduced salt stock"

lulupop · 30/11/2004 08:50

I think worrying about salt in bread is taking it all a bit too far! You can't make bread without salt anyway - the salt and sugar act together with the yeast to make the loaf rise.

I do make my own bread as I like to know what goes into it (did you know a loaf of bought wholemeal has about 10g of hydrogenated fats in it? They add the fat to make the loaf rise more quickly and retain the air bubbles). And in all the recipes I use, a 1kg loaf has just 1tsp salt. So not much really.

LIZS · 30/11/2004 08:53

We're recommended to use a particular salt in cooking as there is no fluoride added to the water supply.

Bozza · 30/11/2004 10:16

Marsup you can buy salt-free rice cakes and bread sticks in the baby aisle of supermarkets or in Boots. Boots do their own rice cakes and also Coa and Gate do them - both organic. I give DD supermarket brown bread but thats as far as she's got so far. Might start her on cheese soon.

elliott · 30/11/2004 16:45

You can also get 'non- baby' unsalted rice cakes pretty readily from wholefood shops - I'm sure they work out a lot cheaper.

Original poster
marsup · 30/11/2004 21:57

The potential problem with too much salt is kidney failure, isn't it? sounds pretty grim. But perhaps big babies with big appetites can deal with more salt anyway? DS is an ogre.

OP posts:
nightowl · 01/12/2004 21:11

this is interesting in that im really nervous about what to feed my baby. i never add salt to anything i cook anyway, i never have. i cook fresh foods and freeze them for dd but for quickness sometimes, say if im at a friend's house. is it ok to give her for example, instant mash, tin of spagetti shapes etc. hasnt happened yet but ive been wondering about this. i have also been giving her cheese sandwich, toast with small amount of butter, things like that. dd is one in january btw.

morningpaper · 01/12/2004 21:30

By the way SODIUM in not the same as salt - on packing, you need to DOUBLE the sodium figure to find the salt figure.

morningpaper · 01/12/2004 21:31

I find this salt thing a nightmare - my dd likes sausages, but I can't find ANY that don't have less than around 1g of salt in them, which is about what she needs for the whole day!

TracyK · 02/12/2004 14:21

Well I reckon my ds is well on his way to kidney failure! He eats loads of cheese and tescos ready made mash and just about anything I eat in a restaurant at lunch times.
I'm sure our mothers and grandmothers didn't take as much care as we do and we're still all alive!

hercyulelog · 02/12/2004 14:27

Yes, but lots of people have health problems!

TracyK · 02/12/2004 14:35

Is there any one out there that has a dc with kidney probs relating to too much salt?