A health warning is being given out to students to reduce the amount of salt in their diet. Student-friendly (quick and easy) food can contain dangerous levels of salt that can lead to heart disease and strokes later on in life.

Students are now being told to watch how much salt they use when they cook food or buy ready meals. Late night takeaways should also be avoided.

Claire Fleming, a food and nutrition student, said: “I want to really advise students on staying healthy and this means cutting their salt levels. High levels of salt are most likely to be found in cheap and convenient foods, these just happen to be the kind of meals students like best.”

Consumption of a high amount of salt causes thousands of deaths every year. This is a main issue for Liverpool, as one in four people die from chronic heart disease and strokes, making it the second biggest killer in Merseyside.

Keith Gorman, programme manager for Health@Work, said: “The recommended salt intake for a UK adult is 6g, but according to the Food Standards Agency, men are eating almost double that, consuming a daily average of 11g of salt, while women consume an average of 8.1g a day.”

The Greater Mersey Food Standards Group now advises students to always read the labels on food packaging and check the salt level. They are reminded that the 6g allowance is the equivalent to one teaspoon of salt a day.

Popular student foods such as tomato ketchup, brown sauce, pesto, stir-fry sauces, mayonnaise, and instant mash potato products, all contain surprisingly high levels of salt. Kebabs too but you knew that, right?

Excess consumption of salt can also cause high blood pressure, cancer and brittle bones.

High Salt Foods:

1. More than a third (35%) of salt intake comes from bread, breakfast cereals and biscuits. Choose bread with 1.1g of salt per 100g or less and porridge oats instead.

2. More than a quarter (26%) of salt intake comes from meat, such as bacon and chicken. Buy lean cuts instead.

3. Around 8% of salt intake comes from processed cheeses. Cottage cheese or high-quality hard cheeses are good alternatives.

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