11 Ways to Kick the Salt Habit

Health Envoy's blog

How you can regulate your sodium intake to improve your life and still enjoy your favorite foods.   

By Caitlin Berens



The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium in your daily diet, and about half of the U.S. population should have no more than 1,500 mg because of their age or other risk factors.
Holly Herrington, a registered dietitian in the Center for Lifestyle Medicine at Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation, has some easy tips on how you can handle your sodium consumption and have a healthier diet.


 

Don't Eat Out As Much

"That's going to be number one," Herrington says. About 35 percent of your daily sodium comes from restaurant meals, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Clean the Pantry

Throw out junk food and processed or packaged items your diet won't benefit from. According to the CDC, more than 40 percent of sodium intake comes from these 10 types of foods: breads and rolls, lunch meats (such as deli ham or turkey), pizza, poultry, soups, cheeseburgers and other sandwiches, cheese, pasta, meat dishes (such as meat loaf), and snack foods (such as chips, pretzels, and popcorn).

 

 

 

Ditch the Saltshaker

"It only accounts for about one-fourth of your sodium intake, but it's still added salt that you're putting on your foods," says Herrington. Hide the shaker in your cabinet and ask yourself, is that extra dash really necessary?

Let Your Taste Buds Adapt

"Your foods may taste a little bland for a couple days but after about a week you're going to really start to taste just how good your foods are without that added salt in there," Herrington says. "Once you get used to it and you taste something salty, you won't believe how salty it tastes."

Embrace Low-Sodium Foods

Fill up on naturally low-sodium healthy foods: fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy products. "These are some of your lower sodium foods that you really can't overeat," says Herrington.


 

Understand Labels

Pay attention to the serving size and know how the sodium amount listed fits into your daily intake so you can know whether or not it's a good product for you. Also look out for "low salt" or "no added salt" on labels.

Utilize Juices

Flavor your foods with a citrus juice like lemon instead of salt. You'll reap some of the benefits of these healthy fruits, which research suggests may help reduce stroke risk in women. Plus certain seasonings, such as lemon pepper, have salt added in. So go the natural route and utilize black pepper and lemon juice instead.



 

Enjoy Herbs and Spices

Use black pepper, red pepper, and your favorite herbs, then leave out the salt for flavorful dishes that won't dominate your sodium intake for the day. Added benefit: Some herbs and spices, such as pepper and oregano can aid in cancer prevention.

Go Spicy and Flavorful

"A lot of people tend to like the spicier things when they're coming off salt," Herrington says. Test out jalapeno peppers, banana peppers, or even chili powder or garlic for a great wallop of flavor. Not only are hot peppers full of flavor, research suggests they can also help your heart.



 

Don't Be Fooled

"Sea salt, iodized salt, kosher salt — it's all salt," Herrington says. "The difference with sea salt and kosher salt is that they're bigger kernels so we typically use a little bit less of them." But keep in mind just one teaspoon contains about 2,300 mg of sodium. Low-sodium salt is also available, but it's not as salty — "this doesn't mean you can double the amount that you use," Herrington says



 

Maintain a Balance

While having too much sodium in your diet can be negative, not taking in enough sodium can also have adverse effects. "Your blood pressure can drop too low, it can also affect your heart," says Herrington. A low sodium diet should be monitored by your doctor, as "Sodium is a very important electrolyte in your body," says Herrington, "and it does help balance your water in your cells and outside of your cells."
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