How to Ease into a Low-Salt Diet

The taste for salt is acquired, and you can train yourself to live without a lot of it in your diet.

: Never change your diet without first consulting your physician.
Step 1: Use salt substitutes Use salt substitutes to enhance the flavor of foods. Herbs, spices, citrus juices, onion or garlic powders, and salt-free seasoning blends are all good choices.
Step 2: Eat fresh foods Aim for a diet rich in fresh foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Opt for dried or fresh fruit instead of salty snacks like pretzels and potato chips.
TIP: Opt for low-salt versions when purchasing processed foods. Frozen dinners, dried soups, canned foods, fast foods, and lunch meats are often available in low-salt versions.
Step 3: Watch condiments Limit your use of salt-laden condiments. Salad dressings, sauces, dips, ketchup, mustard, and relish are all high in salt.
Step 4: Avoid salt when eating out Avoid dishes that contain soy sauce or monosodium glutamate when dining out.
FACT: In 1930, Mahatma Gandhi and thousands of his followers were jailed for producing salt in defiance of the British salt monopoly in India.