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Many foods are loaded with salt. Some are obvious, like potato chips and pretzels. Some aren’t, like breads and canned soups.
Prepared foods, which need little or no cooking, are often high in sodium, which is found in salt. But some processed foods are made for people who are on low-sodium diets. Look for foods with these words on the labels:
- Low sodium
- Sodium free
- No salt added
- Unsalted
Don’t be fooled by foods labeled “reduced sodium.” They can still have a lot of salt. Reduced-sodium soy sauce, for example, has 500 mg of sodium per tablespoon! It’s called “reduced” because it has less sodium than regular soy sauce.
High-sodium foods
Watch out for these high-sodium foods. Some come in low-sodium versions. Look for them in your supermarket.
- Anchovies
- Bacon
- Barbecue sauce
- Bologna
- Bread and rolls (several servings)
- Buttermilk
- Canned soup (most types)
- Cereals (“instant” hot)
- Cereals (ready to eat)
- Cheese
- Chips (potato, corn, etc.) and other snacks
- Corned beef
- Crackers with salted tops
- Frozen entrees and dinners (check labels)
- Frozen pizza
- Ham
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- Hot dogs (beef, pork, turkey, chicken)
- Meat (canned or frozen in sauce)
- Meat (cured, smoked, or kosher)
- Nuts and seeds (salted)
- Olives
- Pastrami
- Pickles
- Pretzels
- Salad dressing (regular, lowfat, and fatfree)
- Sauerkraut
- Sausage (pepperoni, salami, etc.)
- Soy sauce
- Steak sauce
- Tomato and vegetable juices
- Worcestershire sauce
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Recipe swaps
Replace high-sodium ingredients with lower-sodium options in your recipes. A good rule is to replace the processed ingredients with fresh ones.
Get creative
There are many ways to add flavor to food without salt. Chefs often use a splash of citrus juice or flavored vinegars to make food taste better. Garlic, and fresh or dried herbs are also options.
Try different things. Use cookbooks for ideas, or find a “heart-healthy” cookbook. You’ll be amazed at what you can create!
Also of Interest
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