Easy Ways to Cut Sodium Intake

Lower Your Disease Risk by Reducing Your Salt Intake

-- By Nicole Nichols, Health Educator and Liz Noelcke, Staff Writer

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You consume sodium every single day, and that's a good thing! Our bodies need sodium to help maintain water and mineral balances and blood volume. But too much of a good thing (sodium in this case) can have negative effects on your health, such as an increased risk for high blood pressure (which contributes to heart disease and stroke). While most of us get enough sodium each day to meet our bodies' needs (about 1,500 milligrams), the average person consumes way too much! Experts recommend that adults consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium daily—that's about 1 teaspoon of salt.

Sodium is a mineral that occurs naturally in foods that you eat every day, including meats, nuts, grains, and dairy. Salt and sodium are not the same things—but salt is made from sodium (and chloride). What you might not realize, however, is that “hidden” sodium found in processed foods (in the form of salt) makes up the largest proportion of the sodium that adults consume (in addition to any salt that you add yourself).

Cutting back on sodium is one action you can take to reduce your risk of high blood pressure and its related complications. Keep in mind that your taste buds are probably accustomed to a strong taste of salt, so limiting your consumption might take a little getting used to, but your health is worth it! Here are some sodium-cutting tips you can try today:

Introduce additional flavor to your foods with herbs and spices like garlic, oregano, basil, pepper, thyme and sesame. These all add flavor without the extra sodium. If a recipe calls for salt, cut the amount called for in half and taste it before adding more.
Make healthy choices at the grocery store. Processed foods (anything in a box or bag) tend to be high in sodium because it helps preserve foods longer and increase flavor. Always read labels for the foods you buy, including the sodium content on the nutrition facts label and the ingredients list.
Remember that "low-fat" or "low-calorie" doesn't mean healthy. These diet foods can also be higher in sodium because manufacturers hope that added sodium, a flavor-enhancer, will bring back the flavor that is missing since fat and other higher-calorie ingredients are removed. This is especially true for frozen dinners, which are often loaded with extra salt.
Choose low-, no- or reduced-sodium versions of your favorite soups, frozen meals, canned foods, and snacks. Even butter is available without added salt!
Choose fresh or frozen veggies over canned varieties, which often contain added salt to help increase shelf life. If you can't find sodium-free varieties of canned vegetables, rinse the can's contents in a colander under water before cooking to remove excess salt.
Olives, pickles and other items packed in brine are saturated in salt, as are many smoked and cured meats, like salami and bologna. Limit your intake of these high-sodium foods and be on the lookout for lower-sodium varieties.
Fast foods are high in more things than just fat. Many of these meals, sandwiches and fries contain more than your daily recommended intake of sodium in just one serving. When consulting restaurant websites to make healthy choices, pay attention to sodium levels as well. By keeping your portions in check (order a junior burger or small French fry instead of the big burgers and super fries) will help control your sodium (and caloric) intake.

The chart below lists common salty foods. Notice how quickly sodium can add up with just a few foods!

Food	Portion	Sodium
Baking soda	1 tsp	1,259 mg
Mini pretzels	10 minis	1,029 mg
Soy sauce	1 Tbsp	902 mg
Frozen pepperoni pizza	1 serving	902 mg
Dill pickle	1 medium	883 mg
Frozen chicken pot pie	1 serving	857 mg
Shredded cheddar cheese	1 cup	702 mg
Baking powder	1 tsp	488 mg
Hamburger	1 sandwich	474 mg
Sauerkraut	1/2 cup	469 mg
Canned peas	1 cup	428 mg
Ham	1 slice	373 mg
Biscuit	1 whole	304 mg
Bacon	1 slice	303 mg
Salted mixed nuts	1/4 cup	205 mg
Ketchup	1 Tbsp	190 mg
Hard salami	1 slice	186 mg
White bread	1 slice	170 mg
Mustard	1 Tbsp	168 mg
Potato chips	1 ounce	168 mg
Saltine crackers	5 crackers	161 mg
Tortilla chips	1 ounce	150 mg
Italian salad dressing	1 Tbsp	116 mg
Salted butter	1 Tbsp	82 mg

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About The Author

Liz Noelcke
Liz is a journalist who often writes about health and fitness topics.

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Member Comments

DELLMEL

Great article - 5/12/2013 7:40:07 PM
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JGMARIE80

I don't have table salt on my table but some of my favorite foods have high sodium content. I love sauerkraut, dill pickles, ketchup, white bread and Italian dressing. If I eat all these in 1 day, I ' ll be in big trouble. - 3/24/2013 11:04:20 PM
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CLARAELIZABETH1

I use No-Salt instead of regular salt. - 3/15/2013 1:58:13 PM
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-RESAMARIE

It helps to drink a lot of water and a glass of iced tea with lemon. If I am eating out I know I need to wash you the sodium. Of course breaking a good sweat helps too! - 3/4/2013 12:12:32 PM
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DENISE223

My doctor wants me to keep my sodium to 1,500/day. I always read labels and it still shocks me how much salt is in canned foods (soup, etc....)
It really helps to prepare your own food because then you're in control of what goes in it.

If a recipe calls for vegetable bouillon, I use "Rapunzel vegetable bouillon, no salt added".
http://www.iher
b.com/Rapunze
l-Vegan-Veget
able-Bouillon
-No-Salt-Adde
d-8-Cubes-2-4-oz-68-g/30385

I found this article very helpful - Thanks! - 1/22/2013 11:41:14 AM
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PDANNYK

This is a good article! I found the best way to eliminate excess salt or to completely control your salt intake is to stop using prepared foods period. We at our house cook from scratch, fresh veggies, fresh fruits, unprocessed meats right on down the line. We eat no prepared grain products like pastas, noodles, etc and very limited whole grain only breads. Cooking this way eliminates or at least controls all the salt you put in your diet. We only use unprocessed sea salts (not the processed so called sea salts but the mined ones). We home can some veggies and fruits but we know just how much salt is in a quart of green beans or a oint of applesauce. Some do not have or take the time to prepare meals like this but it is well worth your efforts to find the time! My B/P dropped for 165/110 to 100/60 over the past year we have been doing this. The high reading was with me on B/P meds and the low one is without any medication for B/P. - 11/29/2012 8:35:42 PM
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CHRIS3874

The real scary part for anyone trying to lower their salt intake is how pervasive it is -it's in almost everything. - 11/29/2012 7:23:23 PM
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AKASHA66

good info! - 9/25/2012 11:26:30 AM
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MRSJSTAUFFER21

You known this had a great impact on me, i learned that some of the things that I like have high sodium and it really will help me to curb some of the insight on these things. - 8/28/2012 2:22:46 PM
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MEMERE17

I had no idea that persons with low blood pressure need to consume more salt. I guess my hubby whom we jokingly say has no blood pressure really is not overdoing it in the salt department then. Great forum! - 8/16/2012 12:24:00 PM
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MARTY32M

Sure, sodium raises your blood pressure temporarily, and if you always consume a lot of sodium your blood pressure will always be high. But the bottom line is not your blood pressure but how much longer you can expect to live. A recent study found that longevity is greatest for people who consume 3000 to 6000 mg of sodium a day, way more than current recommendations. That's one study, and any one study could be wrong, but I'm keeping an open mind. - 7/23/2012 12:30:09 PM
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_INTHETREES

I can't believe that pretzels have that much soduim... wow. I will now, for sure, buy the unsalted ones (at Bulk Barn they have them - in Canada - you must have a store with them in the USofA!)

Cheers - 7/23/2012 11:50:52 AM
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MOMKAT4310

It is quite easy to make one's own chicken or beef stock. However, when I am in a hurry, I use Herb Ox brand sodium free bouillon - comes in packets in a box. Yellow and Red for beef, Yellow and Green for Chicken. Even the stock you make will have some sodium, from the meat bones and veggies, but if you really need to reduce sodium intake, it is a valid trade off. Do not add salt or msg to your home made stock. the recipe calculator will help you figure the amount of naturally occuring sodium in this or any recipe. BTW, if you use and canned, boxed or packaged frozen fruits or veggies, be sure to add in the sodium in the product. - 7/21/2012 2:24:04 PM
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KAVANALIBERTY

Sodium is needed to make stomach acid, but use the good ones (himalaya or celtic seasalt) and not the processed stuff. I resently put more salf in my diet and its working wonders for me. I have acid reflux and heartburn and found out that this is due to to little stomach acid and not to much. I was able to quit taking my omeprazol. - 7/21/2012 9:26:55 AM
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JUDYSHID

We have cut way back on sodium because my son is taking steroids and has a water-retention problem, adding "lowered sodioum" (potassium chloride) salt if at all cooking and at the table, and food at restaurants or at the homes of others now tastes too salty to all of us! Our main problem is yellow cheeses, which our son loves. We allow smaller amounts of swiss-style, which has the lowest sodium content of our local cheeses. Unfortunately the no-salt-added white dry curd cheeses do not melt, so they are no good in casseroles or quiches. - 7/21/2012 5:47:29 AM
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