How to Cut Salt From Your Diet

Too much salt can raise your blood pressure, putting you at risk of heart disease. It can also cause your body to lose calcium faster then normal, which can lead to lose of bone mass and osteoporosis. Also, it impairs your lung function and can worsen asthma symptoms. Too much salt can significantly increase your risk of dying from a stroke and from heart disease. The table salt you sprinkle on your breakfast eggs is the least of your concerns -- salt creeps into the typical American diet in multiple ways, many of which can be easily reduced.

Instructions

1

When you open canned vegetables, meats, or beans, rinse them under cool running water before you consume them. Doing this can reduce the amount of sodium they contain by up to 40 percent.

When you buy two jars of spaghetti sauce or other sauce, buy one regular and one low sodium. Mix them together and then gradually switch both to low sodium. This method can help save a lot of sodium intake when it is applied to the other foods you eat as well.

2

Roast your vegetables by tossing them with olive oil and some lemon juice, then just add a small pinch of salt and pepper. Bake them for 15 to 30 minutes at 400 degrees F or until they are lightly browned. Stir them every 5 minutes.

If you crave salt on your eggs, then try sprinkling a small amount of dried thyme onto them instead. This will help curb the urge for salt.

Cut back on the seasonings you use. For instance when you use a packaged seasoning mix, try using only half instead of the entire package. You will cut half the sodium while still getting the flavor. If you still want more flavor, then add a spice that contains no sodium, such as onion powder, ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, or any other spice you like.

3

When you buy items, check the label and choose items lower in salt. Here are some key words to look for on the label.

Sodium free - This means there has to be less then 5mg of sodium per serving.
Low sodium - The item contains 140mg or less per serving.
Very low sodium - This means there is less then 35mg per serving.
Light in sodium - The item has to have at least 50% less sodium then the regular version of the food.
Reduced sodium - The food has to be at least 25% less sodium then the regular version of the product.
Less sodium - The food also has to contain at least 25% less sodium then the regular version of the food.
Unsalted - No salt as added during the processing of the food.
No salt added - No salt was added to the food during the processing.

4

Remember: Crackers, chips, popcorn, sauces, seasoning, drinks and just about everything else comes in low sodium form. You should opt for these rather then the full salty versions of any food.

Also keep in mind that about 77 percent of the sodium the majority of people eat comes from processed foods and foods eaten out rather then at home. There is also a claim that sea salt is healthier for you then regular table salt, but that is simply not true. Sea salt contains just as much sodium! Just be aware of how much you use because sea salt has larger granules, and in the long run you could possibly be eating more of it.