5 Ways To Easily Reduce Your Sodium Intake

Our bodies need some salt to function properly, but too much salt is bad for our blood vessels and heart. If you want to reduce your risk for heart disease, lower your sodium intake.

The American Heart Association recommends that most adults keep their daily salt intake between 1,000 and 2,300 milligrams of salt per day. Staying near the bottom of that spectrum is ideal. Americans consume way too much salt – about 1,000 milligrams more than they should each day.

It can be difficult to know just how much sodium you’re eating, especially since most of the sodium we eat is in restaurant or packaged food. If your goal is to lower sodium, there are lifestyle changes you can make to help you toward that goal that require minimal checking of nutrition labels. Talk with your primary care provider or cardiologist to see how precise you need to be about tracking your sodium, especially if you have a heart condition or are on certain medications.

Here are five tips guaranteed to lower your sodium intake.

1. Buy fresh or plain frozen vegetables.

Vegetables naturally have little to no sodium, so buying them fresh or frozen is ideal. If fresh vegetables tend to go unused in your refrigerator, opt for frozen vegetables that will last several months in your freezer. Frozen vegetables don’t require added sodium to preserve them. Steamer bags are extremely convenient — simply toss the bag of vegetables in your microwave for a hot side dish five to six minutes later. Be sure to steer clear of the frozen vegetables that contain sauces or seasoning — they will likely be loaded with sodium. Canned vegetables tend to have lots of sodium, but if you prefer them, opt for low-sodium or no salt added.

2. Look for low-sodium or sodium-free packages.

Chances are, anything that comes in a can, box or bag has sodium in it. Canned soups and boxed rice and pasta side dishes are culprits. When purchasing these items, look for the labels that say “sodium free,” “very low sodium,” “low sodium,” or “no salt added.” Be wary of the language food manufacturers use. “Reduced Sodium” does not necessarily mean the item is low in sodium, for example.

3. Cook more meals at home.

Yes, this means creating more time in your schedule for cooking, which can be a challenge. Don’t worry; there are smart ways to do this. For example, take 10 minutes in the mornings to throw together simple crock pot recipes, such as two chicken breasts, a can of no salt added diced tomatoes with green chilies and a can of low-sodium black beans. serve over brown rice for a satisfying meal when you walk through the door that evening. When grilling meat, grill several extra pieces for use later in the week. Keep frozen veggie steamer bags handy in the freezer for easy, low-sodium side dishes. If you need meal inspiration, look for low-sodium meals on recipe websites.

4. Use herbs and spices in place of salt when cooking.

There are various herbs and spices in our world. They can impart a tasty, unique flavor to your dishes. Some must-have seasonings for every kitchen include basil, black pepper, chili pepper, cinnamon, cumin, dill, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and oregano. Rosemary and paprika tend to go well with chicken dishes, and bay leaf and dry mustard greatly enhance beef dishes. Lemon juice, lime juice and vinegar can be a great addition to many vegetable dishes.

5. Limit eating out to once a week—including lunches.

While not impossible, it can be challenging to limit your sodium intake when eating restaurant meals (not to mention your saturated fat and calorie intake). Instead, take the leftovers from those tasty dinners you’re now cooking for lunch the next day to work. Take a few extra minutes when cleaning up after dinner to make an individual lunch or two that you can easily grab on your way out the door in the morning.

Not a fan of leftovers? Keep low-sodium frozen meals and steamer bags of veggies in the community freezer at work, or keep low-sodium whole-grain bread and low-sodium deli meat at work to make yourself a sandwich. Your body, and your wallet, will thank you.

Keeping Your Heart Healthy

Heart disease is still the leading cause of death for Americans. Many factors affect a person’s risk for heart disease: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity, age and family history. So while sodium isn’t the only risk factor, it certainly plays a part in your overall heart health, especially if you have any of these risk factors.

Cutting sodium can seem like an enormous undertaking at first. Remember that adopting even one lifestyle change outlined above can have a positive effect on your overall health. With each decision you make to lower your sodium intake, you’re helping your heart stay healthy.

Talk with your primary care provider about all the ways you can strengthen your heart and help prevent heart disease.