Healthy Food Choices: Low Sodium foods

Video Transcript

MARY HONDROS: Okay. Sodium is a very necessary electrolyte in our bodies. It helps regulate your blood pressure and also maintain fluid levels in your body. So, general guideline for the amount of sodium you want to consume is about 2400 milligrams or 2.4 grams per day. Most Americans consume way above this average and that is because of processed foods in our diet, especially things like processed deli meats and canned foods. A way to avoid excess sodium in your diet is to obviously choose fresh unprocessed meats and fruits and vegetables. If you are going to go for canned versions of things, go for canned foods that are labeled no salt added or low sodium. That means that there is not excess salt in that and it will help to keep your sodium levels under control. So, some tips in including a low sodium diet, choose canned foods that are either labeled no salt added or low sodium. Choose fresh cuts of meat, fresh cuts of pork, beef and poultry and try to avoid or limit your deli meats, which have a ton of excess sodium added to them. Thirdly, eat fresh fruits and fresh vegetables that are naturally low in sodium. And lastly, do not add extra salt to your food, because it causes the amount of sodium you consume to increase. So those are four tips on keeping a low sodium diet.