Five ways to cut back on salt

Even if you aren't in the habit of regularly picking up the salt shaker, your diet may still be high in sodium. In fact, if you're like most people, the salt you add at the table or during cooking only contributes around 5 to 10% of the sodium in your diet.  A whopping 75% of the sodium that Americans consume each day is hidden in processed and prepared foods. 

The daily recommended inatke of sodium is 2,400mg, which is the equivalent of one teaspoon of table salt. If you have high blood pressure, the American Heart Association recommends that you limit your sodium to 1,500mg per day.  Yet most Americans consume anywhere from 3,000 to 4,000 mg per day.

Here are a few tips on how to reduce the sodium in your diet:

Cut back on processed and prepared foods.  Food manufacturers often use salt to preserve food and help "improve" the flavor and texture. Processors also use sodium to mask the taste of chemicals and additives they add to foods.  Whenever possible, prepare your own foods using fresh, whole ingredients.

For example, make your own salad dressing with olive oil, lemon juice and fresh herbs insteaad of sodium-laden bottled dressings.  Make oatmeal from scratch rather than using the flavored packets. This puts you in control of your sodium intake and your cardiovascular health.

Read labels.  Just because a food doesn't taste salty doesn't mean it is low in sodium. For example, you might be surprised  to learn that a bowl of corn flakes contains over 10% of the daily recommended amount.  Even foods that taste sweet can contain a significant amount of salt.

You'll find the sodium content listed on the nutrition facts label of every packaged food. You can also look up the sodium content of thousands of common foods right here on Nutrition Data. Use this information to keep track of how much sodium you're getting and budget your intake throughout the day.

Make over your spice rack.  Seasoning mixes, rubs, and marinades can contain a lot of unneccesary sodium. Revamp your seasoning arsenal with fresh herbs, spices, and low-sodium seasoning blends. Vinegar, lemon, and lime juice add flavor without adding sodium.  Keep in mind that condiments such as soy sauce, mustard, mayonnaise, barbeque sauce, and even ketchup contain sodium. Remember to include them when calculating your sodium intake.

Look for low-sodium products.  Hoping to keep up with consumer demands, manufacturers have created lower sodium varietes of your favorite convenience foods.  Look for low or reduced sodium soups, canned vegetables, deli meats, crackers, sauces, and many other products and buy them whenever possible.

Choose smart when eating out.  Take-out and fast food are notoriously high in sodium, especially Chinese and Mexican food.  But all restaurant food tends to be higher in sodium that what you would prepare at home.   Steer clear of heavily sauced dishes and when ordering, ask your server to request that your meal be prepared with a minimum of added salt.   And when you know you'll be eating out, budget your sodium intake throughout the rest of the day accordingly.

The good news is that as you start to cut back on added salt, you'll find that your taste receptors become much more sensitive. You'll need less salt to make foods taste well seasoned and your appreciation of other flavors will increase as well!

Next step: Find foods low in sodium

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