Their leaves smell rather like pine, so they were often used to clear the air, either by strewing them on floors, or by burning the berries on a fire as the Swiss used to do. In cookery they are used with game and duck, and go well with garlic, onions, thyme, sage, oregano, bay leaves and allspice.
On average, adults in the UK eat about 8.1g of salt (3.2g sodium) a day. This may not sound like much, but to reduce the risk of high blood pressure, it is recommended that adults should not be eating more than 6g of salt (2.4g sodium) a day. Salt intakes should be much lower than this for babies and children. Babies under 12 months old should have less than 1g of salt a day. The daily recommended maximum amount of salt children should eat depends on their age: 1  1 to 3 years â 2g of salt a day (0.8g sodium). 2  4 to 6 years â 3g of salt a day (1.2g sodium). 3  7 to 10 years â 5g of salt a day (2g sodium).
Irish men consume 10g of salt a day and women consume 7g. Children need only 3-5g a day so try not to give them a taste for salty foods.About 80% of the salt that you eat is hidden in everyday foods. These include processedmeats, bacon, sausages, puddings, ready-made meals and sauces.