How salt affects you
For some people, high salt intake can make high blood pressure worse. Talk to your doctor about whether or not you should lower your salt intake.
How much salt should you have each day?
Salt and sodium are basically the same thing when it comes to food. The amount of salt intake for healthy people varies, but the American Heart Association suggests that salt intake be no more than 3,000 mg per day. Americans tend to consume a lot more salt than the body needs.
How to lower the amount of salt you eat
The best way to lower salt intake is to use less salt at the table and in cooking. You should eat a quarter teaspoon or less at each meal.
Limit foods with added salt such as:
- Fast food
- Processed foods: canned, boxed and frozen foods such as soups, frozen dinners, even cereals
- Processed, cured, pickled or smoked meats: ham, sausage, lunch meats, salted or smoked fish, kosher meats, bacon, sausage, pepperoni, corned beef pastrami, hot dogs, bologna
- Salted snack foods: salted snack crackers, pretzels, potato/corn chips, salted popcorn and nuts, processed cheese and cheese foods
- Soups: Bouillon, broth, canned or frozen soup, dried soup mixes
- Vegetables: Sauerkraut, pickles, olives, frozen vegetables with sauces
- Seasonings/miscellaneous: Seasoned salts, garlic salt, onion salt, celery salt, butter salt, canned vegetables, soy sauce, seasoned croutons, barbecue sauce, many condiments such as mustard and ketchup
- When dining out, request that salt not be added to your foods. Foods served in fast food restaurants are generally high in salt.
- Be aware that some water (especially softened water) and some medications may contain sodium.
- Read food labels carefully to find out how much salt is contained in them.
Finding the salt using food labels
The following definitions apply to sodium labeling terms:
| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Sodium free |
Less than 5 mg sodium per serving |
| Very low sodium |
35 mg or less of sodium per serving |
Low sodium
|
140mg or less sodium per serving |
| Reduced sodium |
At least 25% less sodium than is usually found in the food |
| Unsalted |
No salt added during processing to a food normally processed with salt (sodium may still be naturally present in the food)
|
Seasoning without salt
Salt substitutes are available, but they are not for everyone. Some replace the sodium with potassium and can be harmful with certain medical conditions. Talk to your doctor before using salt substitutes.
Herbs and spices do not contain salt and can be used to season foods. Several seasoning mixes (such as Mrs. Dash
TM) are available. Read the labels to ensure that they are salt free. Here are some ideas to help you. Onions, garlic, and pepper add to the flavor of most foods.
| Food | Seasoning ideas
|
|---|
| Beef, Veal |
Bay leaf, sage, thyme, pepper, dry mustard |
| Chicken |
Lemon, marjoram, paprika, poultry seasoning, sage, thyme |
| Fish |
Bay leaf, dill, lemon juice, paprika, curry powder, marjoram |
| Lamb |
Garlic, mint, mint jelly, rosemary, curry powder |
| Pork |
Apple, garlic, onion, sage |
| Liver |
Allspice, caraway seed, garlic, marjoram, mustard seed, onion, parsley |
| Pasta, rice, potatoes |
Garlic, oregano, paprika, chives, onion, parsley |
| Eggs |
Green pepper, onion, tarragon, chervil, oregano, paprika |
| Asparagus |
Garlic, lemon juice, vinegar |
| Broccoli |
Lemon juice, garlic, onion, red pepper flakes |
| Cucumbers |
Chives, dill, garlic, onion |
| Green beans |
Dill, lemon juice |
| Greens |
Onion, pepper, garlic, vinegar, lemon |
| Peas |
Parsley, onion, fresh mushrooms |
| Squash |
Brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, mace |
| Tomatoes |
Basil, dill, marjoram, onion, oregano |
| Muffins |
Allspice, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, mace
|
| Breads |
Cinnamon, cloves, dill, poppy seed |
