Eat This, Not That (Sodium Edition)
Sodium can be found all throughout the American diet. Even if you don’t add salt to the food on your plate at the table, have you considered how much sodium is already in the food before it gets to the table? Sodium occurs naturally in some foods but processed foods typically have sodium added. Almost 75% of the sodium we eat comes from processed foods. Below are some tips to reduce the amount of sodium in your diet:
Eat This Not That
| Fresh or frozen fruit | Canned fruit |
| Fresh, or frozen vegetables- also consider ‘no salt added’ or ‘low sodium’ canned vegetables | Canned vegetables |
| Make homemade dinners such as casseroles, pizza, and other dishes and freeze them yourself to lower the amount of sodium used | Frozen dinners, boxed dinners, pot pies, and pizzas |
| Reduced or low-sodium broth or bouillon | Soups- instant, canned, or jarred including broth and bouillon |
| Low-sodium options for seasoning and flavor such as ‘Mrs. Dash,’ marinades for meats, and salt-free spices (see below). | Condiments- ketchup, soy/steak/teriyaki/chili/Worcestershire/BBQ sauce, salad dressings, mayo, and mustard |
| Skinless poultry, lean cuts of meat, fresh or frozen (not breaded) seafood | Smoked, salted, or cured meats such as: bacon, ham, hot dogs, lunch meats, sausage, corned beef, chipped beef, meats that are koshered by salting, salt pork, and ham hocks |
| Plain rice, noodles, couscous, quinoa, and other grains | Boxed and flavored mixes of rice, potatoes, macaroni and cheese, instant noodles, and couscous |
| Salt-free spices and herbs such as: garlic powder, onion powder, basil, oregano, sage, thyme, cilantro, cumin, pepper, mint, and rosemary | Table salt…LOTS of table salt |
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