The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and experts like MayoClinic.com recommend consuming 2,300 mg a day or less of sodium per day. That's less than a single teaspoon of table salt. If you're trying to control your salt intake, you will have to become vigilant of the foods you choose to eat. Also, try to eat as many fresh foods as you can, as they're naturally salt-free.
Step 1
Keep a food diary for a week to help you identify where your salt is coming from. Write down every mg of salt you eat and then add up the amounts at the end of the day.
Step 2
Check the labels of everything you eat. Many canned and pre-packaged foods contain added salt and the amounts add up quickly.
Step 3
Look for products that have the label "low sodium" on it. Foods must contain less than 120 mg of sodium per serving to be considered low sodium. A serving is usually 4 oz. (100 g) of food. Always check how much you're eating out of a package or can so you can add up the totals.
Step 4
Make a list of any processed and smoked meats you eat. Sausages, hot dogs, bacon and ham tend to be very high in sodium. So are foods that have been canned in brine. Always rinse foods packed in brine before eating them to reduce their sodium content. Instant noodles also pack a lot of sodium.
Step 5
Skip fast food as much as possible. You won't be able to check sodium content of most takeaway food unless the restaurant has its menu available online. If you do buy fast food or food from a dinner, skip extra tomato sauce, soy sauce and added salt, since these all contain significant amounts of sodium.
References
- The Stroke Foundation of New Zealand: Salt in Everyday Foods
- CBC News: How Much Sodium Do I Need?; July 2009
- Colorado State University; Sodium in the Diet; J. Anderson, et al.; June 2011
- Dummies.com; Lowering Your Salt Intake; Alan L. Rubin, MD; 2010
- MayoClinic.com: Sodium: How to Tame Your Salt Habit Now
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