 Spice Up Your Life!
Eat Less Salt and
Sodium
National Institutes of Health
National Heart,
Lung, and Blood Institute
And Office of Research on Minority Health
Contents
- Why should you eat less salt and
sodium?
- Did you know....
- Tips to Eating Less Salt and
Sodium--Be a smart shopper.
- Choose More Often:
- Choose Less Often:
- Go easy in the kitchen.
- Take the lead at the table.
- Be in control at the restaurant.
Why should you eat less salt and
sodium?
You should cut back on salt and sodium in your diet to
help prevent or lower high blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure
lowering it can reduce your chances of heart disease and stroke.
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Contents]
Did you know....
Table salt is made up of two compounds‹sodium and
chloride. Most of the sodium in your diet comes from processed foods. The
remaining comes from the salt added at the table, and salt added while cooking.
Limit the amount of sodium that you consume from all these sources to no more
than 2,400 milligrams (mg) each day which is equal to about 1 teaspoon of
salt.
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Contents]
Tips to Eating Less Salt and
Sodium
Be a smart shopper.
- Read the food label to find out
more about what is in the foods you eat. This will help you choose foods to
limit the amount of sodium you eat to 2,400 mg each day.
- Size up your food. Compare the
amounts you will eat to the serving size given. If you eat 2 cups and the
serving size is 1 cup, you have to double the amounts of nutrients and calories
listed.
- Read the nutrition information.
Use the Percent Daily Value to compare the amount of sodium among brands.
Choose those foods that have lower values. One serving of this product contains
28 percent, or about 1/4 of the amount of sodium you should have for the entire
day.
- Buy foods with these claims more
often. The food label may include terms such as:
- sodium free
- very low sodium
- low sodium
- reduced (or less) sodium
- light in sodium
- unsalted
Nutrition
Facts
Serving Size: 1 cup (228 g)
Serving Per Package
2 |
Amount Per
Serving
Calories 260
Calories from fat 120 |
| |
% Daily
Value* |
| Total Fat 13g |
20% |
| Saturated Fat 5g |
25% |
| Cholesterol 30mg
|
10% |
| Sodium 600mg |
28% |
| Total Carbohydrate
31g |
10% |
| Dietary Fiber 0g |
0% |
| Sugars 5g |
|
| Protein 5g |
|
| Vitamin A 4% ·
Vitamin C 2% |
| Calcium 15% ·
Iron 4% |
* Percent Daily Values are based
on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on
your calorie needs:
|
| |
Calories: |
2,000 |
2,500 |
| Total Fat |
Less than |
65g |
80g |
| Sat Fat |
Less than |
20g |
25g |
| Cholesterol |
Less than |
300mg |
300mg |
| Sodium |
Less than |
2,400mg |
2,400mg |
| Total Carbohydrate |
|
300g |
375g |
| Dietary Fiber |
|
25g |
30g |
Calories per gram:
Fat 9
· Carbohydrate 4 · Protein 4 |
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Contents]
Choose More Often:
- Chicken and turkey (take off skin)
- Lean cuts of meat
- Fish: Fresh or frozen
- Skim or 1% milk, evaporated skim milk
- Cheese: lower or reduced in sodium
- Loaf breads, dinner rolls, English muffin,
bagels, pita, and salt-free chips
- Cereals: some hot cereals and some
ready-to-eat cold cereals lowest in sodium*
- Plain rice and noodles
- Fresh, frozen, or no salt added canned
vegetables
- Fruits
- Soups: lower or reduced in sodium
- Margarine, vegetable oils
- Spices, herbs, and flavorings like oregano,
garlic powder, onion powder, salt free seasoning blends, vinegar, and fruit
juices
Choose Less Often:
- Hogmaws, ribs, and chitterlings
- Smoked or cured meats like bacon, bologna,
hot dogs, ham, corned beef, luncheon meats, and sausage
- Canned fish like tuna, salmon, sardines, and
mackerel**
- Buttermilk +
- Most cheese spreads and cheeses
- Salty chips, nuts, pretzels, or pork rinds
- Some cold (ready to eat) cereals highest in
sodium, instant hot cereals
- Quick cooking rice and instant noodles, boxed
mixes like rice, scalloped potatoes, macaroni and cheese, ++ and some frozen
dinners, pot pies and pizza*
- Regular canned vegetables**
- Pickled foods like herring, pickles, relish,
olives, or sauerkraut
- Regular canned soups, instant soups
- Butter, fatback, and salt pork
- Soy sauce, steak sauce, salad dressing,
ketchup, barbecue sauce, garlic salt, onion salt, seasoned salts like lemon
pepper, bouillon cubes, meat tenderizer, and monosodium glutamate (MSG)*
*Read the food label to
choose those lower in sodium.
**Rinse canned fish or vegetables
before using.
+Although buttermilk is high in sodium, 1 percent or skim
buttermilk can be used in cooking to replace whole milk or fat.
++Modify
cooking directions and prepare with less salt, if possible. |
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Contents]
Go easy in the kitchen.
Use less salt and seasoned salt when you
cook.
- Use spices and herbs or low sodium seasonings like
sodium free bouillon or onion powder, garlic powder, and sodium free seasoning
blends.
Try these:
- Sprinkle lemon juice over vegetables.
- Season or marinate meat, poultry, and fish ahead of
time with onion, garlic, and your favorite herbs before cooking to bring out
the flavor.
Take steps to make meals lower in salt and
sodium.
- Use smoked or salt-cured meat products only in
small amounts for flavoring.
- Prepare fresh lean pork roast instead of country
ham.
- Rinse canned vegetables and fish such as tuna to
remove some sodium.
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Take the lead at the table.
- Remove the salt shaker. Keep the pepper shaker.
- Taste the food first. If you must add salt, use one
"shake" instead of two or more.
- Cut down on the amount of salty prepared sauces or
condiments you use.
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Be in control at the
restaurant.
- Choose foods without sauces. If you prefer, ask for
sauce and salad dressing to be served "on the side."
- Ask for your meal to be prepared without salt or
monosodium glutamate (MSG). Then if you must, you can add a small amount of
salt.
Check the things you will do to
eat less salt and sodium.
|
 |
Read food labels. Choose foods that have
the lowest Percent Daily Value for sodium. Also buy foods that are labeled
"reduced sodium," "low sodium," "sodium free," or "no salt added." |
|
Buy fruits and vegetables for snacks.
Choose chips, crackers, or nuts that are lower in sodium. |
|
Take the salt shaker off the table. |
|
Choose no salt added regular canned
vegetables, vegetable juices, soups, sauces, and gravies. Most frozen
vegetables without sauces are low in sodium. |
|
Choose fresh or frozen lean cuts of meat,
fish, and poultry. |
|
Season your food with herbs and spices
instead of salt. |
|
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Contents]
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES
Public Health Service
National Institutes of
Health
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
NIH Publication No.
97-4060
September 1997
|
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