Eat Less Salt

Salt is found in a lot of foods. If you have a preexisting condition like high blood pressure or kidney disease, your doctor may want you to cut back on your salt. To reduce your salt intake, purchase low sodium foods at the supermarket. Learn to cook with other flavors, like black pepper and spices, instead of salt. When you eat out, research the restaurant ahead of time. Make sure you choose low sodium items.

Steps

Purchasing Lower Salt Foods

  1. Check food labels for all items you purchase. Almost any canned or packaged foods you purchase contain salt. Even sweet items, like jams, cookies, and bread have added salt for taste. Make a habit of checking the sodium content of everything you buy. Always choose the items with the lowest sodium option.[1]
    • Canned foods, like canned beans and soups, often contain high amounts of sodium. See if a store carries low sodium options.
    • Bread items, such as breads and bagels, can also be high in sodium. Look for breads with little added salt.
    • Canned sauces often have high sodium contents, so be on the lookout for low sodium choices.
  2. Go for fresh cuts of meat. Pre-packaged meats tend to contain high amounts of sodium. Instead of purchasing pre-packaged cuts of meat the store, purchase fresh meats, cook them without salt, and then slice off pieces for sandwiches.[2]
    • For example, you can purchase a chicken and roast it, or purchase a lean cut of beef and fry it in a pan.
    • Keep in mind deli meats still contain sodium, even if the content is lower. If your doctor wants you to track or limit your overall sodium intake, do not forget to count sodium from fresh cut meats.
  3. Choose the right packaged vegetables. If you buy frozen or packaged vegetables, you may be surprised to find they contain high amounts of sodium. Check labels when purchasing packaged vegetables and make sure to go for low sodium options.[3]
    • Look for frozen vegetables that were frozen fresh rather than being processed prior to freezing.
    • Select low sodium canned vegetables.
    • Go for fresh vegetables most of the time, as these are healthier than canned or frozen vegetables.
  4. Avoid processed foods. Processed foods in general contain high amounts of salt. A good way to cut back on your overall salt intake is to steer clear of processed foods most of the time. Make your own meals at home rather than buying things like frozen dinners from the store.[4]
  5. Stock up on healthy snacks. Snack foods like potato chips are often loaded with salt. If you're looking to cut back on your salt intake, select healthy snacks to keep you full. Fresh fruits and vegetables and nuts, such as almonds or walnuts, are a better snack option than things like chips and crackers.[1]
    • If you snack on nuts, make sure to only take a small amount as nuts are high in calories. You should also be sure to opt for unsalted nuts.

Cooking with Less Salt

  1. Replace salt with black pepper. It is easy to over-salt your food as it can add flavor to an otherwise bland dish. However, if you need to add flavor to your food, try swapping salt with black pepper. Foods like pastas, eggs, and soups can be flavored with black pepper instead of salt.[1]
    • Eating foods seasoned with pepper over salt may test strange at first, but give it time. Your taste buds will adjust.
  2. Make your own stocks and gravies. Store bought soup stocks and gravies are often loaded in added salt. Instead of purchasing these items at the store, make them yourself at home. Opt for recipes that do not require a lot of added salt.[1]
    • You can also try replacing some or all of the stock in a soup recipe with water, which you can season with spices and black pepper instead of salt.
  3. Do not salt water you boil. When cooking things like pasta, rice, beans, or vegetables, do not salt the water ahead of time. This is an easy way to cut some salt out of your diet.[3]
    • For flavor, try adding other spices to the water like garlic powder or dried basil.
  4. Explore different flavors and recipes. Try to see cutting back on salt as an adventure rather than a burden. Explore different kinds of flavors and recipes that do not require a lot of added salt. For example, you can add basil, rosemary, cayenne pepper, garlic, and vinegar to recipes for added flavor. You can look up unique flavor combinations online, such as cajun blends, that can add flavor to your favorite foods without over-salting them.[5]
    • If you're consistent about trying new flavors over salt, your taste buds will eventually adjust. Give it time and eventually you will appreciate new recipes and spices and stop missing salt.
    • You can also add a drop or two of hot sauce. Hot sauce has sodium in it, but if you only use a drop or two then it won’t add too much.
  5. Cut back on your use of condiments. Things like mayonnaise, mustard, and soy sauce have a high salt content. You should reduce using these foods to add flavor to your dishes. If you want mustard on your sandwich, use a small coin-sized dollop rather than spreading mustard over an entire piece of bread.[1]

Reducing Your Salt Intake When Eating Out

  1. Research before dining out. Look up the menu online ahead of time and see if it included nutritional information. Chain restaurants often provide nutritional information online. See which items are lowest in sodium and plan to order those when eating out.[2]
    • See if the restaurant has any specifically low-salt items on the menu. Some restaurants may have a whole section for foods low in salt and sugar.
  2. Request your food be prepared without extra salt. Try politely requesting that you not have salt added to your food or that the cook cuts down on salt. Remember to be polite to wait staff. Say something like, "Is there any way I could request the food be prepared with less salt." If they oblige your request, say thank you.[5]
  3. Choose low salt pizza options. If you're ordering pizza or going to a pizza place, opt for ingredients that are lower in salt. Chicken and vegetables are generally the lowest salt items. Things like pepperoni and bacon tend to have a lot of salt.[1]
    • Cheese also contains a lot of salt. Request that the restaurant use cheese lightly.
  4. Opt for plain rice. When eating out at Chinese or Indian restaurants, you often get salt on the side. Instead of asking for something like fried rice or flavored rice, request plain rice. Plain rice is usually much lower in salt.[1]
  5. Select the right fillings in sandwiches. When eating at a sandwich place, order low salt options. Ham, pickles, and cheeses tend to have high salt. Instead, go for things like chicken, eggs, vegetables, and lower salt cheeses like mozzarella. You should also ask for light servings of condiments or request condiments on the side.[1]

Tips

  • Read the ingredients on seasoning mixes. Many contain plenty of salt, in part because salt is inexpensive. Use garlic powder, granulated garlic, or fresh garlic in place of garlic salt, for example.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/cut-down-salt.aspx
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://www.kidney.org/news/ekidney/june10/Salt_june10
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/healthdisp/pdf/tipsheets/Tips-to-Eat-Less-Salt-and-Sodium.pdf
  4. ↑ http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/6-ways-to-eat-less-salt
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 https://sodiumbreakup.heart.org/7-tips-eat-less-salt
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