Your kidneys maintain the right balance of fluids in body, eliminating excess sodium and controlling blood volume and pressure. When your kidneys can't excrete sodium fast enough, blood volume increases and your heart works harder, increasing pressure in your arteries. Your body only needs 1/4 teaspoon of salt a day to function properly, yet the average American consumes five teaspoons each day--20 times more than necessary. Enjoying a low-sodium diet is easy because there are lots of great-tasting foods that will help lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease and hypertension.
Step 1
Eat fewer processed foods. Seventy-five percent of the sodium in an average diet comes from processed foods. Salt is used as a preservative and flavor enhancer in canned and packaged foods. Rinse canned tuna or beans before using to remove some of the excess sodium.
Step 2
Read labels carefully. Look for ingredients such as salt, monosodium glutamate, baking soda, baking powder, disodium phosphate, sodium alginate, sodium nitrate or nitrite, all of which contain sodium. Instead, buy products labeled "low sodium" or "sodium free."
Step 3
Cook without adding salt, especially the boiling water used to make rice or pasta. Stop using the instant versions of pasta and rice, which come with flavor packets that are often very high in sodium.
Step 4
Buy fresh vegetables, or those flash frozen without extra sauce or flavorings. Buy fresh lean meats such as chicken or turkey rather than processed cold cuts.
Step 5
Use spices and herbs rather than salt to add flavor to food. Watch out for condiments such as soy sauce, ketchup, mustard and relish, which all contain sodium. And remember that sea salt has the same sodium content as regular table salt.
Step 6
Gradually cut back on your sodium intake. Instead of trying to cut out sodium all at once, ease into using less and less salt over time. Your palate will adjust in stages and food will still taste flavorful.
Tips and Warnings
- Simply take the salt shaker off the table.
- The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends no more than 1,500 mg of sodium a day if you have high blood pressure, diabetes or kidney disease.
