How To Reduce Your Salt Intake

  • November 4, 2009
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Limiting your daily salt intake can help prevent major diseases. Here’s how to cut back.

You Will Need

  • Low- or no-sodium packaged food
  • Herbs
  • Vinegar
  • Lemons
How To Reduce Your Salt Intake: Read labels

Step 1: Read labels

Read labels when you shop. If salt or sodium chloride is one of the first ingredients listed on the label, don’t buy the product.

How To Reduce Your Salt Intake: Eliminate high-sodium foods

Step 2: Eliminate high-sodium foods

Avoid high-sodium foods such as chips, salted nuts, and dressings. If you must eat them, try the low-sodium versions.

How To Reduce Your Salt Intake: Avoid processed foods

Step 3: Avoid processed foods

Buy fresh or plain frozen vegetables. Most processed foods have salt added for taste and as a preservative. When buying canned vegetables, look for ones labeled “no salt added.”

Processed foods account for most of the sodium and salt we consume.

How To Reduce Your Salt Intake: Rinse canned foods

Step 4: Rinse canned foods

Rinse any canned foods that do contain sodium under running water to get rid of excess salt.

How To Reduce Your Salt Intake: Reduce salt when cooking

Step 5: Reduce salt when cooking

Flavor foods with herbs, vinegar, and lemons instead of bouillon cubes and sauces, which are high in sodium.

How To Reduce Your Salt Intake: Don’t add salt

Step 6: Don’t add salt

Don’t put additional salt on your food. Remove the salt shaker from the dinner table.

Kosher salt, sea salt, garlic salt, onion salt, and many prepared spices have no less sodium than table salt.

How To Reduce Your Salt Intake: Eat at accommodating restaurants

Step 7: Eat at accommodating restaurants

Go to restaurants that will prepare your food with low- or no-salt.

How To Reduce Your Salt Intake: Avoid fast food

Step 8: Avoid fast food

Don’t eat fast food. Fast food is notoriously high in salt.

Among the many uses for salt other than in your diet are soothing bee stings, repelling fleas, and cleaning cutting boards.

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