Nix the Salt Habit
Did You Know?
If Americans cut their average salt intake by just half a teaspoon each day, it would lower the number of new coronary heart disease cases each year by approximately 60,000, stroke by 32,000 and myocardial infarction by 54,000, according to a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Cutting down on sodium can be a boost to your health.
How much salt did you consume yesterday? If you don’t know, you might be surprised. Today, typical salt consumption is more than two times higher than the advised upper limit of 1,500 mg daily. Eating too much salt drives up your blood pressure and can also harm your heart, blood vessels and kidneys — potentially leading to heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.
According to a recent report by the American Heart Association, cutting your salt intake by just 400 mg per day can offer substantial benefits. Here are some tips for getting started:
- Avoid eating packaged and prepared foods. Three-quarters of the sodium Americans consume is from processed foods, so avoid them. When you do buy foods like tomato sauce, soups, bouillons, condiments, canned foods and prepared mixes, scan food labels for the red-flag words “soda” and “sodium” and the symbol “Na.”
- Limit high-salt foods. Some natural foods like cheeses, seafood and olives are high in sodium, so enjoy them in small quantities.
- Cut back on salty snacks. Avoid overindulging in snacks like salted potato chips, corn chips and dill pickles.
- Don’t use salt during cooking. Instead, be creative and resourceful. Flavor your dishes with seasoning alternatives like herbs and spices. For lean meats, try bay leaves, caraway seeds, garlic, onion powder or thyme. For fish, consider using basil, dill or curry powder. Add some zest to salads and vegetables with cider vinegar, lemon juice or dry mustard.
- Take it easy with the table salt. Always taste your food before salting it. If you do add table salt, do so sparingly. Every quarter-teaspoon of salt you sprinkle on your food adds up to 600 mg of sodium.
- Be smart when dining out. Restaurant food is often loaded with sodium. When ordering your meal, ask that it be prepared without salt.
FYI: Breaking old habits takes a little bit of effort, but as you transition to a lower-sodium diet, your taste buds will adjust. Once they’ve adopted healthier eating habits, many people report they would not go back to the highly processed, sodium-rich foods they once enjoyed.
