Dante Carrillo
Reducing salt intake is essential for maintaining a healthy heart and body. While the recommended daily sodium intake is 2,300 mg, the average adult consumes about 3,400 mg per day. Excess sodium intake can lead to high blood pressure and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. To effectively cut salt out of your diet, it is important to make conscious choices when it comes to food. This includes opting for natural, whole foods over processed and packaged foods, which are often loaded with hidden sodium. Reading food labels, comparing sodium content, and choosing lower-sodium options are effective ways to reduce salt intake. Additionally, cooking at home using fresh ingredients and herbs allows you to control the amount of salt added to your meals. Eating out at restaurants or fast-food chains can be tricky, but doing your research beforehand and requesting meals without added salt can help. Over time, your taste buds will adjust, and you will find yourself enjoying the natural flavours of food without relying on excessive salt.
How to cut out salt from your diet effectively
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Control portion sizes | Ask for smaller portions, share meals, or ask for a to-go box to eat the rest later |
| Choose packaged and prepared foods carefully | Compare labels and choose the product with the lowest amount of sodium per serving |
| Pick fresh and frozen poultry | Choose poultry that hasn't been injected with a sodium solution |
| Check the fine print | Look for terms like "broth," "saline," or "sodium solution" |
| Read food labels | Look for "no salt added," "sodium-free," "very low sodium," "low-sodium," "light sodium," "lightly salted," and "reduced sodium" |
| Combine lower-sodium versions of food with regular versions | Try combining equal parts of lower-sodium and regular versions of the same food |
| Cook without salt | You can add other flavorful ingredients so you won't miss the salt |
| Use cooking methods that bring out natural flavors | Grilling, braising, roasting, searing, or sautéing can reduce the need for added salt |
| Eat high-potassium foods | Potassium helps counter the effects of sodium and may help lower blood pressure |
| Do your research when dining out | Check the restaurant's website for sodium content or request that your dish be served without salt |
| Avoid packaged and processed foods | Smoked, salted, and canned meat, fish, and poultry; bacon, ham, hot dogs, and lunch meats; hard and processed cheeses; regular peanut butter; canned soups and broths; crackers, chips, and pretzels; breads and rolls; pizza and mixed pasta dishes |
| Embrace healthy fats and oils | Skip fat-free salad dressings and similar products, as they often contain added salt |
| Choose fresh foods | You can decide how much or how little salt to add |
| Try salt substitutes | There are several salt substitutes on the market that replace some or all of the sodium with potassium |
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What You'll Learn
Research restaurant dishes before dining out
To effectively cut salt out of your diet, it's important to be mindful of the sodium content in the food you consume. This is especially true when dining out, as it can be challenging to control the amount of sodium in your meal. Here are some tips to help you reduce your salt intake when eating at restaurants:
Research the Menu in Advance: Many restaurants, especially larger chains, provide nutritional information, including sodium content, on their websites or menus. Before dining out, take some time to browse the menu online and look for dishes that align with your low-sodium diet. This way, you can make an informed decision about what to order.
Choose Fresh and Whole Foods: Opt for dishes that feature fresh, whole foods and avoid heavily processed options. Processed foods tend to be high in sodium, so selecting dishes with natural, unprocessed ingredients can help reduce your salt intake.
Ask About Preparation Methods: When ordering, inquire about how the dishes are prepared. Grilling, roasting, or steaming are healthier alternatives to frying or sautéing, as they don't require the addition of oils or excess salt. You can also request that your meal be prepared without added salt or seasonings.
Be Mindful of High-Sodium Ingredients: Certain ingredients, such as cheese, cured meats, and sauces, are known to be high in sodium. When scanning the menu, watch out for these ingredients and opt for dishes that use fresh herbs, spices, or other flavour enhancers instead of salt.
Control Portion Sizes: Larger portions often mean more sodium. Consider ordering smaller plates or sharing a dish with your dining companions. You can also ask for a to-go box and set aside part of your meal to enjoy later.
Don't be Afraid to Make Special Requests: If you have a medical condition or are taking medication that requires you to limit your salt intake, don't hesitate to inform your server. They can relay your request to the chef, who may be able to accommodate your needs by reducing the amount of salt used in your dish.
By following these tips and researching restaurant dishes before dining out, you can effectively reduce your salt intake and make healthier choices while still enjoying the pleasure of eating out.
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Embrace healthy fats and oils
While it is important to cut down on salt, it is equally important to embrace healthy fats and oils in your diet. A small amount of fat is necessary for healthy functioning. Oils and fats supply calories and essential fats, helping your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E, and K.
However, it is important to remember that the type of fat you eat is more important than the total amount. Unhealthy fats like saturated and trans fats can heighten your risk of heart disease by increasing bad LDL cholesterol. Trans fat is the worst of all, associated with increased risk, incidence, and mortality from heart disease. On the other hand, polyunsaturated fats like omega-3 and omega-6 can help lower LDL cholesterol. Omega-3 also helps prevent blood clotting and reduces the risk of stroke. Monounsaturated fats have been shown to improve blood cholesterol levels.
To embrace healthy fats and oils, try to replace "bad" fats with "good" fats. Choose olive oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, and sesame oil over animal fats. Include more meals with legumes, beans, lentils, and oily fish, and less with red meat and processed meat. Avocados, olives, nuts, and seeds are also good sources of healthy fats. When cooking, use healthy oils like olive, canola, sunflower, peanut, soybean, safflower, avocado, grapeseed, rice bran, and sesame oil. These oils can also be used to make your own salad dressings, marinades, dips, and sauces.
When shopping for oils, choose those with less than 4 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon and no partially hydrogenated oils or trans fats. Blends or combinations of these oils, often labeled "vegetable oil," are also good choices. Keep in mind that some oils have distinctive flavors, so try different types to find your preference. It is also good to have more than one type of oil in your pantry, as some oils are better for certain types of cooking than others.
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Retrain your taste buds
Retraining your taste buds is a great way to cut down on salt. Salt preference is an acquired taste that can be unlearned. Over time, your taste buds can adjust to less salt and you may even start to prefer it. Studies show that when people follow a lower-sodium diet, they find that the foods they once enjoyed taste too salty.
To start retraining your taste buds, you should first break the habit of salting your food. Purchase a battery-operated pepper grinder and your favorite salt-free herb and spice blend. Keep them on your kitchen table so that you are less inclined to reach for the salt shaker. You can also try salt substitutes that replace some or all of the sodium with potassium.
When cooking, use grilling, braising, roasting, searing, or sautéing techniques to bring out the natural flavors of your food. You can also try embracing healthy fats and oils. Many well-meaning low-fat and no-fat products from the 1990s ended up increasing levels of sugar and sodium. So, skip the fat-free salad dressings and embrace healthy fats and oils to make your food more savory.
You can also try stealth health. For many foods, the average person cannot detect moderate to substantial differences in sodium levels, including reductions of up to 25%. You can also combine lower-sodium versions of food with regular versions. If you don't like the taste of lower-sodium foods, try combining them in equal parts with the regular version of the same food. You probably won't notice much difference in taste.
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Control portion sizes
Portion sizes are a key factor in reducing your salt intake. When you cut calories, you usually cut the sodium, too. Ask if smaller portions are available, or share a dish with a friend when dining out. You can also ask for a to-go box when you order and place half the meal in the box to eat later.
Before dining out, do your research. Visit the restaurant's website, which should list the sodium content of various dishes served there. When you use less salt, you can taste the food's natural flavour, especially when you use cooking techniques and flavourful ingredients to enhance it. Over time, your taste buds can adjust to less salt. Studies show that when people follow a lower-sodium diet, they start to prefer it, and that the foods they once enjoyed taste too salty.
It's also important to be mindful of the types of food you're consuming. The biggest contributor to our sodium consumption is not the salt shaker; approximately 75% of the sodium we eat comes from sodium added to processed and restaurant foods. Going easy on processed foods makes sense for general good health, as processing often leads to a loss of nutrients and other benefits of whole or semi-intact foods.
Some foods that are high in salt include bread, pizza, cured meats, canned vegetables, and fast food. Smart swaps can help you cut down on salt without sacrificing taste. For example, instead of toast or a bagel for breakfast, try a bowl of oatmeal with just a pinch of salt. Or, make a homemade pizza using a whole-wheat, pre-baked pizza crust with low-sodium pizza sauce and slivers of part-skim mozzarella or other light cheese.
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Choose packaged foods carefully
Choosing packaged foods carefully is essential when reducing salt in your diet. Even if you never use a salt shaker, more than 70% of the sodium we eat comes from packaged, prepared, and restaurant foods. Therefore, it is crucial to be mindful of the sodium content in packaged foods to effectively cut salt out of your diet.
Firstly, it is important to note that different brands of the same food can have varying sodium levels. For example, a serving of unseasoned fresh meat typically has around 100 milligrams of sodium or less, while the same serving of prepared rotisserie chicken seasoned with sodium can contain up to 400 milligrams of sodium. Thus, it is essential to compare labels and opt for the product with the lowest sodium content per serving. Be cautious of terms like "broth," "saline," or "sodium solution" in the fine print on the packaging, indicating the presence of added sodium.
Additionally, when choosing packaged foods, look for "no salt added" labels, which indicate that no salt was added during processing, although the product may still contain naturally occurring sodium. "Sodium-free" foods have less than 5 milligrams of sodium per serving, while "very low sodium" foods contain less than 35 milligrams per serving. If you are looking for low-sodium options, choose products with less than 140 milligrams of sodium per serving. "Light sodium" or "lightly salted" products contain at least 50% less sodium than their regular counterparts, while "reduced sodium" options have at least 25% less. However, reduced-sodium products may still contain high sodium levels and may not be suitable for a low-sodium diet.
It is also worth noting that some foods that do not taste particularly salty can still be high in sodium. For example, cottage cheese, eggs, and bread are known to contain significant amounts of sodium. Therefore, it is crucial to read the nutrition labels and ingredient lists carefully to make informed choices when selecting packaged foods.
Finally, when it comes to packaged foods, opt for fresh and frozen poultry that has not been injected with a sodium solution. Choose low-sodium canned beans and vegetables whenever possible, as these tend to have less sodium than their canned counterparts. By being mindful of these factors and carefully reading labels, you can effectively choose packaged foods that support your goal of reducing salt in your diet.
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Frequently asked questions
The first step is to identify the sources of salt in your diet. While it may be obvious that salt is added to food using a salt shaker, it is less obvious that more than 70% of the sodium we eat comes from prepared, packaged, and restaurant foods. Therefore, it is important to read food labels and choose packaged and prepared foods carefully. Different brands of the same food can have lower or higher sodium levels.
High-sodium foods include processed, cured meats, canned vegetables, canned soups and broths, crackers, chips, pretzels, breads and rolls, pizza, and mixed pasta dishes.
Some low-sodium alternatives include fresh or frozen poultry, fresh vegetables, whole-grain corn tortillas, low-sodium canned beans, grilled chicken or mild white fish, and low- or reduced-sodium versions of salty snacks.
Yes, some other tips include:
- Control portion sizes. When you cut calories, you usually cut the sodium, too.
- Before dining out, do your research and choose restaurants that offer low-sodium options.
- Embrace healthy fats and oils.
- Retrain your taste buds by gradually reducing your salt intake.
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