To put this in terms that are easier to relate to, one teaspoon of table salt contains 2,300 milligrams of sodium – an entire day’s intake for a healthy adult. But if you have high blood pressure and add one teaspoon of salt to your food than you’ve already consumed more than your daily recommended amount of sodium. Eliminating added sodium to your diet may be easier than you think.
Shake it off!
To reduce your sodium intake, take the salt shaker off the table and remove it from the cabinet. Don’t add salt to any food items; instead flavor your foods with herbs and spices. Use fresh vegetables instead of canned and processed versions, and try white or brown rice instead of flavored rice. Many salted snacks come in unsalted versions as well … foods like pretzels, nuts, seeds, dried beans and cheeses.
Simple doesn’t mean better!
Avoid processed convenience foods, which often use sodium as a preservative, instead choose fresh ingredients. Stay away from cured and processed lunch meats and salty foods like ham, bacon, sauerkraut, dried meat, or dried fish. Limit your take out – Asian and Mexican foods can be high in sodium due to added sauces, when ordering in – ask for sauce-free foods.
