10 Easy Ways To Reduce Your Salt In-Take

Although our bodies do need salt for the sodium it provides, we really only need around 1/10th of a teaspoon per day. But unfortunately, most people consume 20 times that amount! This is a huge problem because too much salt can cause high blood pressure, which contributes to strokes and heart disease. Aside from being conscious of your salt intake, other ways to prevent hypertension include getting enough fruits, vegetables and whole grains in your diet. Furthermore, low-fat dairy products such as yogurt and cottage cheese along with a handful of nuts are also an essential part of a healthy diet. 

Although these are good recommendations, you don’t have to be robotic and boring about your approach. You can certainly add some variety and mix things up in order to make your meals enjoyable. It does take some discipline at first, but after a while it becomes a routine, and you find yourself not missing all of that excess salt. Ready to make some changes and live a healthier life? Here are 10 ways to cut back on sodium without ruining the joy of eating.

1. Be aware that high amounts of sodium lurk in foods you might not necessarily expect, such as flour tortillas, white bread, ketchup, tomato sauce, and even rice. Although with the more obvious culprits such as pepperoni, ham, and cheese, you should only eat these items on occasion as opposed to making them a daily part of your diet. 

2. Avoid processed foods and opt for fresh as much as possible. Canned beans, frozen meals, and deli meats often contain loads of added salt. 

3. Make sure to read nutritional labels before deciding what to buy. As a rule, opt for foods in which the sodium content is equal or less than the amount of calories per serving.

4. Restaurants often put too much salt on the foods they make. In fact, the burgers and fries at your favorite fast food joint often contain as much as 4 times the daily sodium limit! Choose small fries and a single patty burger. Share a dish. Ask for your food to be prepared with less salt. 

5. Be strategic about how you get your sodium in-take. Instead of blowing it all on salty snacks and heavily processed foods, sprinkle a little bit of salt on healthy items such as vegetables, wild rice, and beans in order to enhance the flavors. 

6. Adapt your taste buds to less sodium. You might crave heavily-salted foods right now, but over time as you reduce the amount of salt, you can actually train those taste buds to enjoy lower-sodium foods just as much. 

7. Replace salt with spices and flavor enhancers. There is no limit to what you can find in the grocery store spice aisle. Cayenne pepper adds a kick and has actually been shown to reduce blood pressure. Herbs, lemon juice, turmeric, black pepper, and garlic can make a chicken or fish dish taste mindblowing without any salt whatsoever! Experiment with the various spices and you can make every meal taste exciting and original!

8. Choose healthy cooking oils. We understand that you don’t just want to eat a bland piece of baked chicken for dinner. But fortunately, you don’t have to. Cooking with olive, canola, or even avocado oil can add richness and flavor to your foods minus the salt. 

9. Try different cooking methods. When you put some onions, chicken and mushrooms into a pan and lightly sauté them with oil, it really brings out the natural flavors of these foods. In fact, it’s like having a gourmet meal every night! If you prefer to steam your foods or use a microwave, you can still finish it off by drizzling some olive oil and squeezing some fresh lemon into the dish.

10. There are more ways to get your whole grains aside from bread. You might assume having a slice of whole-grain bread at every meal is a healthy choice, you might be surprised to learn just how much sodium they add to it. They don’t do this just for the flavor; adding salt allows the dough to rise properly. So instead of having a piece of whole grain toast for breakfast, have a bowl of oatmeal (the non-processed variety, NOT instant stuff full of sugar and additives), buckwheat groats, or farro with an apple or banana.