The average American consumes over 3,500 mg of sodium per day. That's a lot of salt. Especially considering the USDA Dietary Guidelines say the average person should only consume 2,300 mg. And, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released a report in 2010 advising over 70% of Americans to eat more low sodium foods and cut their sodium intake to just 1,500 mg each day. This includes people who have hypertension, people over 40 years old, and all African-Americans ages 20 to 39.
The benefits of eating less salt are well documented. In a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study, men and women with pre-hypertension who reduced their sodium intake by 25% to 35% experienced a 25% risk of heart disease over a 10- to 15-year span.
Here are some simple tips for reducing your sodium intake so you can live a healthier lifestyle:
- Look for foods with reduced sodium or no salt added at the grocery store
- Use herbs and spices, salt-free seasoning blends, vinegars, and citrus foods like lemon and lime instead of salt
- Read the nutrition facts label on all packaged foods so you become familiar with how much salt is in the foods you eat
- Eat more fresh foods, like fruits, veggies, fish, nuts, and whole grains
- Limit your use of sodium-filled condiments, such as salad dressings, soy sauce, barbecue sauce, dips, ketchup, and mustard
- Rinse all canned vegetables and beans before eating
- When eating out at a restaurant, tell your waiter, waitress, or the manager you're on a low sodium diet and ask them to recommend low-sodium menu options or prepare your dish without adding salt
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