Many older people are put onto a low salt diet because of chronic or acute medical conditions, like high blood pressure and kidney disease.

Others choose low salt regimes to improve mental function which is responsive to salt intake. It’s known that in normal circumstances of climate and activity people need only half a gram of salt a day, way below the official guidelines of 6 - 7 grams.

If you ask them which foods they miss most, they will likely say “cheese”. Its particular flavor and texture can be quite addictive.

However, cheese is very high in salt.

There are exceptions. Some soft versions, like cream cheeses — usually not proprietary brands — can be salt-free. The problem is they don’t really taste or feel like cheese at all.

One solution is Swiss Emmental which is low in salt, but tastes very much like cheese. The Tesco brand contains only 0.2 grams per 30-gram typical serving. Others may vary, so check the labeling.

Bear in mind also that a value for sodium needs to be multiplied by 2.5 to get the full salt content.

Cheese needn’t be a no-go area for low salt dieters.