Submitted by
Jane Eisenhauer
SNAP-Ed Nutrition Educator
Wild West Extension District
Salt and Sodium
Please pass the Salt!! That little gesture has been heard around dinner tables for years. It’s clear that Americans have a taste for salt, but salt plays a role in high blood pressure. Everyone, including kids, should reduce their sodium intake to lee than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day, which is about 1 teaspoon of salt. Adults age 51 and older, African Americans of any age, and individuals with high blood pressure, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease should further reduce their sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams per day.
Try using these tips to avoid using to much salt.
Think Fresh – Most of the sodium Americans eat is found in processed foods. Try eating highly processed foods less often and in smaller portions. Some of these foods are cured meats – such as bacon, sausage, hot dogs and deli/luncheon meats and ready-to-eat foods like canned chili, ravioli and soups. Fresh foods are generally lower in sodium and are much healthier.
Enjoy Home Cooked Foods – Cook more often at home – where you are in control of what is in your food. Preparing your own foods allows you to limit the amount of salt in them.
Fill up on Fruits and Veggies – Try eating fruits and vegetables at every meal, whether fresh or frozen, as they naturally low in sodium. Fruits and vegetable also make excellent snacks, you just have to wash them, pop them in your mouth and go!
Adjust Your Taste Buds – Cut back on salt little by little and pay attention to the natural tastes of various foods. Your taste for salt will lessen over time.
Skip the Salt – Skip adding salt when cooking. Also, keep the salt shaker off the kitchen counter and dinner table. Use spices, herbs, garlic, vinegar, or lemon juice to season foods or use no-salt seasoning mixes. Black or red pepper, basil, curry, ginger or rosemary are also good substitutes for salt.
Read the Label – Make sure and read the Nutrition Facts label and the ingredients statement to find packaged and canned foods lower in sodium. Look for foods labeled “low sodium,” reduced sodium,” or “no salt added.”
Pay Attention to Condiments – Foods like soy sauce, ketchup, pickles, olives, salad dressings and seasoning packets are high in sodium. When choosing soy sauce and ketchup, choose low-sodium. Have a carrot or celery stick instead of olives or pickles. Use only a sprinkling of flavoring packets instead of the entire packet.
