Hints to keep your sodium intake down:
The best way to cut back on sodium is to cut back on salt and salty foods and seasonings. When reading a Nutrition Facts Label, look for the sodium content.
1. Cook from scratch. Eat less processed foods
2. Taste your food before adding salt; remove the salt shaker from your table
3. Choose fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables without added salt
4. Choose fresh or frozen fish, shellfish, poultry, and meat over canned or processed meats
5. Snack on fresh fruits and vegetables
6. Balance a high sodium food with others of low sodium content
7. Read the Nutrition Facts Label to compare the amount of sodium in different types and brands of processed foods
8. Limit use of canned, processed, cured or pickled, and frozen foods
9. Try to keep your daily sodium intake below 2500 mg
10. Buy products low in sodium, MSG, baking soda and other sodium-containing compounds
11. Choose foods labeled "low-sodium, " "reduced sodium" or "sodium free"
12. Take note of the sodium content of your favorite condiments, particularly meat tenderizer, steak sauce, soy sauce, salsa, and catsup
13. Cook with herbs and spices, fresh vegetable and citrus juices instead of salt
14. Choose nonprescription medications low in sodium. Ask your pharmacist about the sodium content of your prescription medication
15. When you go out to eat, choose low sodium menu items and ask that they prepare your meal without salt or MSG. Use pepper instead of salt to season your meal. Ask for gravy or sauce on the side
Sodium intake should be limited to no more than 2400-2500 milligrams per day.
The average sodium intakes from foods alone are over 4,000 milligrams for men and almost 3,000 milligrams for women. Intakes may be even higher because salt added at the table is not included in these values. Only about one-fourth of adults think their diets are too high in salt or sodium.
some contents from McKinley Health Center Web Site at: http://www.mckinley.uiuc.edu, and the USDA
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