Tips for Using Less Salt

• Make low-salt choices by reading labels carefully. Look for the total amount of sodium per serving.

• Use more fresh food. Buy more fruits and vegetables. Select lean meats, fish, and poultry.

• Use fewer canned and packaged foods which often contain a lot of sodium.

• Use plain frozen vegetables without sauces or toppings. These products are often low-or no-sodium.

• Opt for reduced-sodium or no-salt-added versions of canned vegetables and soups.

• Be aware sea salt, kosher salt, Himalayan pink salt, and table salt all have around the same amount of sodium in them. Instead, try seasoning your dishes with different herbs and spices.

• Don't add salt to food when you're cooking. Season with flavorings such as onion, garlic, pepper, salt-free herbal blends, and lemon or lime juice.

• Use a cookbook containing low-salt recipes. It can give ideas for tasty meals that are healthy for your heart.

• Sprinkle salt-free herbal blends, citrus juice, or vinegars on vegetables and meat.

• Drain and rinse canned foods, such as canned beans and vegetables, before cooking or eating.

• Ask the waiter for low salt menu suggestions. 

• Order fish, chicken, and meat broiled, baked, poached, or grilled without salt, butter, or breading.

• Use lemon, pepper, and salt-free herb mixes to add flavor.

• Choose plain steamed rice, boiled noodles, and baked or boiled potatoes. Top potatoes with chives and a little sour cream.

Beware! Salt goes by many other names. Limit foods with these words listed as ingredients: Salt, sodium, soy sauce, baking soda, baking powder, MSG, monosodium, and Na (the chemical symbol for sodium). Some antacids are also high in salt.