Even if you don’t use the saltshaker, it’s sneaking into your diet — here’s how.
The statistics are startling: The average Canadian adult eats 2760 mg of sodium a day, or around 1½ teaspoons of salt. That’s more than double the amount experts say most of us should be consuming daily.
Health Canada recommends that most Canadians consume 1500 milligrams (mg) per day and not exceed 2300 mg per day. This is equal to 1 teaspoon of table salt. It can be tough to visualize what that actually looks like in the context of your diet.
Now, you’re probably thinking, I only use a sprinkle of salt here or a dash of salt there; there’s no way I add that much salt to my food every day. But here’s where it gets tricky — more than 75% of the salt in our diets comes from processed, packaged, and restaurant foods. In other words, most of the salt we eat does not come from the salt shaker.
The takeaway: Sprinkling less on your food is a good start. But other changes will make an even bigger impact.
How to Shake Added Salt From Your Diet
To make a major dent in the amount of added salt you’re getting:
- Eat a heart-healthy diet that focuses on whole grains and whole foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, and that includes dairy products, poultry, fish, and nuts.
- Read food labels and look for lower sodium or no salt added options on canned and packaged foods.
- Cook at home rather than getting takeout or going to a restaurant.
- Cut back on the salt you cook with and add flavor to foods by using low- or no-sodium ingredients like herbs, spices, lemon juice, and vinegar.