Hold the Salt

Diets with high salt intakes are related to high blood pressure, heart disease, and several other health conditions. The USDA recommends that all Americans cut back on their salt intake. Individuals who are 51 years old or older, black, or have hypertension, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease are to reduce their salt intake to 1,500 mg (a little more than ½ teaspoon) a day. Everyone else is recommended to limit their salt intake to 2,300 mg (about a teaspoon) a day.

These are some tips to help you reduce your salt intake.

• Use herbs & spices to add flavor to foods rather than salt
• Leave the salt shaker in the kitchen while you eat at the table
• Read the label on canned fruits and vegetables
• Look for low-salt meats
• Check the nutrition facts because some foods that are high in sodium don’t taste salty; for example, some instant cereals, cheeses, salad dressings, & soups

When looking at the nutrition label, look at the serving size first and determine how many servings you will be eating. Then look at the percent daily value for sodium. If the food, is less than 5% it is considered low sodium, but if it is greater than 20% it is considered high sodium.