
Sodium, a mineral that occurs naturally in foods, is essential to health. The primary source of sodium in the American diet is salt, also known as sodium chloride. For some people, too much sodium in the diet may contribute to high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Cutting back on salt may not prevent high blood pressure, but it may help lower blood pressure for people who are “salt sensitive.” High blood pressure usually occurs due to family history, aging, and being overweight. Eating less salt allows for medications prescribed for high blood pressure to work more effectively. Experts recommend that we limit our sodium intake to no more than 2400 mg per day.
Some simple things you can do to reduce your sodium consumption:
- Use fresh foods and limit processed foods such as convenience foods, canned foods, fast foods, and most snack foods.
- Drain and rinse vegetables canned with salt.
- Limit salted and cured meats such as ham, bacon, and luncheon meats.
- Use reduced-salt soups, broths, and bouillon.
- Avoid salt containing seasoning such as garlic salt, onion salt, and celery salt. Use the powders instead.
- Go light on salad dressings and condiments such as ketchup, mustard, and steak sauce.
- Choose reduced fat natural brick cheese instead of processed cheese.
- Avoid salting food at the table. Use small amounts in cooking instead.
- Read food labels! Try to keep sodium intake to no more than 400 mg at breakfast, 800 mg at the noon and evening meals, and 200 mg per snack (2 snacks per day) for a total of 2400 mg.
Foods High in Salt and Sodium
Beverages Buttermilk Club Soda Cocktail Beverage Mixes Gatorade Breads and Cereals Salted Crackers Salted Bread Sticks Cheese Blue Cheese or Roquefort Cheese Spreads Processed Cheese Convenience Foods Canned Stews Canned Chow Mein, Chop Suey Canned Spaghetti, Ravioli Commercial Sauces and Gravies Frozen Dinners Packaged Macaroni and Cheese Packaged Seasonings (Taco, etc.) Pizza Commercial Casserole Mixes Meats, Fish Salted, Canned or Processed Meat, Fish, Poultry Bacon Cold Cuts Corned Beef Dried Beef Ham Hot Dogs Pastrami Salt Pork Sardines Sausage |
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Potatoes and Substitutes Potato Chips Prepared Potato Products and Mixes Salted Snack Foods Seasoned Rice Mixes Soups Bouillon Cubes or Granules Commercial Canned Soup or Broth Commercial Dried Soup Vegetables Sauerkraut V-8 Juice Tomato Juice Seasonings Lite Salt Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) Popcorn Salt Seasoning Salts Miscellaneous Barbecue Sauce Catsup Chili Sauce Kitchen Bouquet Meat Tenderizers Mustard Olives Pickles and Relish Pickled Foods Salad Dressing Mixes Steak Sauce Soy Sauce Teriyaki Sauce Worcestershire Sauce Digestive Aids and Laxatives containing sodium |