Remember…
- Salt is made of sodium chloride
- Milligrams or mg are usually used
to measure sodium
- Grams or g are used when talking
about salt
- 1 teaspoon of salt has
approximately 2000 mg of sodium
- Most of the salt in our diet has
been added during processing
- Sodium is essential for good
health, but our body needs no more than 1/4
teaspoon of salt daily, or 500 mg of sodium.
People who do not sweat much can do with even
less.
- Medications and water softeners
can add a significant amount of sodium to your
diet.
- The taste for salt is something we
acquire by eating salty foods. It takes about one
month to become used to foods with less salt.
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Tips
You Can Use
- Use herbs and spices in place of salt. Fresh
lemon juice is an amazing flavor enhancer on
soups (yes, soups!), poultry, fish, salads,
cooked or raw vegetables.
- Check the food label. Some spice mixes may
have salt added
- You may consider using some salty foods when this
is complemented by foods low in salt or with no
salt added
- Become aware of the amount of sodium in processed
foods. Read the Nutrition Facts label of
foods.
- You will use less total salt and feel satisfied
if you cooked without it or with very little, and
added lightly at the table.
- If your home has a water softener that uses salt
(sodium chloride), you may want to drink and cook
with bottled water.
- If you want to know how much sodium is in
medicines you take, check the label or ask your
pharmacist.
- Foods with typical high sodium content are:
salted and dried fish, canned fish and meat
(tuna, Spam), dried meats (beef jerky), lunch and
breakfast meats (bacon, sausage, bologna),
pickles and vegetables processed in brine, miso
(fermented soybean paste), soy sauce, sauerkraut,
vegetables canned with salt, salted snacks
(potato chips, corn chips), canned soups,
bouillon.
- Follow storage instructions on food items.
Perishable food, if not eaten promptly, should be
refrigerated or frozen.
- Do not eat foods that have become moldy.
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Recommendations
9 and
11 "How
to"