Golden Tips to Reduce the Amount of Sodium in Your Diet

Many people consume more sodium (salt) than they need. Consuming too much sodium can increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke, but the good news is that if you reduce sodium, it can help lower your blood pressure and keep your heart healthy.

You can use the tips we will give in this article to help reduce the amount of sodium in your diet, but first of all, do not forget to consult your doctor on the subject! 

Know your sodium limit

First, ask your doctor how much sodium is appropriate for you. If we need to talk about general rates:

-Adults and teenagers ages 14 and over should limit their sodium intake to no more than 2,300 mg (milligrams) per day.

-Children between the ages of 9-14 do not need more than 1,800 mg of sodium per day.

-Children aged 4-8 do not need more than 1500 mg of sodium per day.

-Children aged 1-3 do not need more than 1200 mg of sodium per day.

Buy low sodium foods

Most of the sodium we eat doesn’t come from salt, of course. Sodium is found in almost all processed and convenience foods we buy, even foods that don’t taste salty, like bread.

When shopping, limit foods that are high in sodium, such as deli meats, processed meats like sausages and sausages, sauces and condiments, or look for low-sodium versions.

Check the labels

-Be sure to use the “Nutrition Facts” label to check the amount of sodium in foods and compare different options.

-Try to choose products with a Daily Value (DV) of 5% or less.

-Try to choose “low sodium” or “no added salt” foods, but be aware that some low-sodium foods do not have labels indicating these options. So you can check the Nutrition Facts label to be sure.

Make healthy transitions

To consume healthier options, you can replace foods high in sodium with:

-Snack on unsalted nuts instead of saltine crackers or chips.

-Instead of buying deli meats or sausages, try cooking fresh or frozen chicken, lean meats or seafood.

-Choose fresh vegetables, frozen vegetables without sauce, or low-sodium canned vegetables.

Cook more meals at home

Making your own meals is a great way to consume less sodium because you’re in complete control of what goes into your food. Try these tips when cooking:

-If you use canned food, rinse it before eating or cooking to remove salt.

-Use unsalted or low-sodium condiments, and if you use spreads, be careful to consume less.

-Do not add salt to the water when cooking pasta or rice.

-To flavor your meals, choose different herbs and spices such as ginger or garlic instead of salt.

-Keep the salt shaker away from the dining table.

-If you are too busy to cook every day, try to prepare dinner at least once a week.

Ask for less salt when eating out

You can try these tips when dining out or getting takeout:

-Ask if there are low-sodium dishes on the menu.

-When ordering, ask them not to add extra salt to your food.

-Take sauce on the side so you can avoid using too much salt.

Add more potassium to your diet

You can replace high-sodium foods with high-potassium foods. Eating foods containing potassium may help lower your blood pressure. Examples of healthy sources of potassium include:

-Potatoes

-Melon

-Banana

-Bean

-Milk

-Yogurt