5 Ways to Say Goodbye to Sodium

5 Ways to Say Goodbye to Sodium
FREE DAILY DIET TIP

By Lisa Zamosky, Special to LifeScript
Friday, May 23, 2008

Even if you never reach for the salt shaker, your diet may contain too much salt. Prepared and preserved foods often contain very high levels of sodium, which, if consumed in excess, can foster high blood pressure and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. And while many of us are in the habit of checking labels for calories or fat content, too few of us scroll down to take a look at the amount of sodium our products contain. The FDA suggests we take in no more than 2,300 milligrams (2.3 grams) of salt each day. But just how much salt is that? Surprise: It’s the equivalent of only one teaspoon! If you have high blood pressure or are an older adult, you should be aiming to take in no more than 1,500 milligrams of salt per day. Being cautious about your salt intake is an important part of your long-term health. Try these five tips to lower your salt intake:

1. Avoid foods that are canned, frozen or packaged since these foods are usually preserved using sodium. If you can’t avoid them, try low-sodium options.

2. Use spices rather than salt to flavor your food when cooking. Mrs. Dash seasonings are a great choice for sodium-free flavor enhancing.

3. Limit your intake of cured foods, such as ham, bacon and pickles, all of which are swimming in sodium.

4. Look out for salt hiding in some of your favorite condiments. Soy sauce and ketchup, for example, are very high in sodium.

5. Reduce the amount of salt you cook with by 50% to start, and then try to move to 100% salt-free cooking.