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Reducing Sodium in Your Diet

February 21, 2022, 6:03 pm

Watching your sodium intake is important for your health. Eating large amounts of salty foods can make the body hold onto extra water, which can cause blood pressure to rise. It can be especially important to be aware of salt if you are someone who has high blood pressure already, also called hypertension. Controlling your blood pressure can help keep from causing added stress on your heart which can lead to other health problems. 

According to the CDC, people ages 14 and older should limit their sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day – that’s the equivalent of just one teaspoon of salt! 

Many of us today have diets that are high in sodium, but where does all the salt come from? Packaged and processed foods are the major culprits in high sodium diets. Sodium is added to foods to make them taste better to consumers and also to act as a preservative. Canned soups, deli meats, chips, frozen food and fast food are just some of the many super salty sources. In fact, 3 ounces of seemingly healthy sliced turkey breast can tack on up to 1,000 mg of sodium to your meal, depending on the brand – that’s about 43% of your daily intake by itself. 

Keeping an eye on nutrition labels while shopping can go a long way in avoiding higher sodium options. For help checking the sodium on nutrition labels, use this guide from the National Institutes of Health.

Here are some basic tips for lowering sodium in your diet:

  • Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables
  • Buy “no-salt-added” or lower sodium versions of normal grocery items when available
  • Season your recipes with herbs, spices, salt-free seasoning blends, or a squeeze of fresh citrus juice before reaching for the salt
  • Try making your own seasoned pasta or rice side dishes instead of buying flavored packaged rice or pasta mixes.

Check out this page on the CDC website for more information on how to reduce your sodium intake.

 

Sources:

Eat Less Sodium: Quick Tips - MyHealthfinder | health.gov

Sodium sources: Where does all that sodium come from? | American Heart Association

How to Reduce Sodium | American Heart Association

How to Reduce Sodium | cdc.gov