Tips for Cutting Down on Sodium

Eating too much sodium can raise blood pressure and the risk of heart disease and stroke — which together kill more Americans each year than any other cause. Most of the sodium in our diets comes from packaged and restaurant food, not the saltshaker.

Even foods that don't taste salty can be major sources. Foods with only moderate amounts, such as bread, add up because we eat them so often. Choosing lower-sodium ingredients makes a real difference: in CDC's example, swapping to lower-sodium turkey, bread, cheese and other fillings takes a sandwich from 1,522 milligrams of sodium to 917.

At the grocery store

• Buy fresh or frozen vegetables, or canned ones with no added salt or sauce.
• Choose packaged foods labelled "low sodium," "reduced sodium" or "no salt added" when you can.
• Compare products using the Nutrition Facts label: check the sodium per serving and the number of servings in the container, and pick the lowest.
• Buy fresh poultry, fish, pork and meat rather than cured, salted, smoked or otherwise processed meats when possible.
• For fresh items, check whether saline or a salt solution has been added — if it has, choose another brand.
• Ask your grocer whether they have a low-sodium shopping list.

Some grocery stores have a registered dietitian who can help you find low-sodium products; if yours doesn't, ask your doctor for a referral. A dietitian can guide your family on cutting sodium and managing blood pressure.

At home

• Use less salt when cooking, or replace it with garlic, citrus juice, salt-free seasonings or spices.
• Cook rice, pasta, beans and meat from their most basic forms — dry and fresh — when you can.
• Eat more fruits and vegetables.
• Limit sauces, mixes and instant products, such as flavoured rice and ready-made pasta.

At restaurants

• Ask for nutrition information before ordering, and choose a lower-sodium meal.
• Ask for no salt to be added to your food.
• Order vegetables without added salt, or fruit, as a side.
• Share a meal with a friend or family member.
• Keep takeout and fast food as an occasional treat.

A heart-healthy eating plan

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan is a simple, heart-healthy diet that can help prevent or lower high blood pressure. It is low in sodium, cholesterol, and saturated and total fat, and high in fruits and vegetables, fibre, potassium and low-fat dairy.

Sources

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Tips for Reducing Sodium Intake": https://www.cdc.gov/salt/reduce-sodium-intake/index.html
• Rewritten in hubnx's own words.
• The page's stock photograph and its sandwich illustration are not reproduced; the sodium figures are taken from the illustration's description.