Currently, sodium recommendations are set at less than 2,300 mg per day for adults. According to the Colorado State University Extension, the average American man consumes between 3,100 and 4,700 mg of sodium per day, while the average American woman consumes 2,300 to 3,100 mg daily. Excessive sodium intake is a major risk factor for high blood pressure, which can cause heart disease, one of the leading causes of death in the United States.
Processed Foods
According to Mayo Clinic, a large percentage of sodium in the diet comes from processed and packaged foods. Manufacturers add extra amounts of salt during processing in an effort to improve the taste of these foods and increase their shelf life. Avoiding processed and packaged foods as much as possible can help reduce your total salt intake. Processed and packaged foods that are especially high in sodium include canned soups, frozen entrees, deli meats and cheese.
If you can't avoid these foods completely, look for low-sodium or sodium-free versions. Mayo Clinic suggests making it a rule to avoid any foods that contain more than 200 mg of sodium in one serving.
Added Salt
Adding salt during cooking also contributes to a high daily intake of sodium. Many recipes call for salt, and while it may add flavor, it can be detrimental to your health. Instead of adding salt during cooking, experiment with fresh herbs and sodium-free spices. Try dill weed, rosemary, thyme, tarragon, oregano, sage, parsley, paprika and lemon juice as alternatives.
Topping your meal with salt directly before consumption also contributes to increased sodium intake. Try to avoid the salt shaker as much as possible. Certain condiments, such as soy sauce, mustard, barbecue sauce and ketchup, also contain significant amounts of sodium. Avoid these condiments whenever possible.
Restaurant Foods
As with processed foods, the meals you eat at restaurants often contain excess amounts of sodium as well. While this may improve the flavor of these meals, it does not benefit your heart health. When eating out, request that your meals be prepared with sodium-free seasonings or spices, rather than salt. If possible, eat at home instead of going to a restaurant. Cooking at home can help you control how much salt you add to your meal.
Considerations
While salt substitutes may seem like an easy solution, they are not always the best alternative. Regular table salt contains two elements -- sodium and chloride. To make a salt substitute, manufacturers replace the sodium in salt with potassium, which makes potassium chloride. While this may be okay for some people, others are sensitive to potassium. In those people, consuming too much salt substitute can increase blood potassium levels, which can have dangerous complications.
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