10 Quick Ways to Cut Salt from Your Diet
By Sandy Schroeder
We all love salty fries and spicy pizza, but the body is not so pleased when we sail right past the recommended daily target of 2,300 milligrams.
HarvardHealth say the average adult consumes about 3,400 milligrams of sodium daily. You may hide the salt shaker and carefully read labels, but still be taking in too much salt. Doctors say there are 10 major types of food that are responsible for 40 percent of our daily sodium intake.
Here are the culprits with ideas for reducing sodium.
Pizza reform - Pepperoni or sausage, flour crusts, spicy sauce and cheeses all load pizza up with salt. Instead, do a homemade pizza with a whole wheat crust, part-skim mozzarella cheese, and lots of veggies such as mushrooms, bell peppers, fresh tomatoes, herbs and onions.
Sandwich switches - Cold cuts, cured meats, and fatty cheeses add salt. Switch to tomato, lettuce, and avocado fillings with hummus or slices of chicken breast. Also do sliced apples or bananas with no-salt peanut butter.
Bread substitutes - Most of us eat way too much bread, adding 100 to 200 mg per slice. Instead, have a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast and whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, or barley for dinner.
Ditch cold cuts, cured meats - All of our favorites, salami, ham, bacon, hot dogs and deli meats are high in salt, plus sodium nitrate that boosts sodium. Cook turkey or chicken breast and slice for sandwiches.
Check the label on soups - Canned soups can deliver as much as 940 mg of sodium per serving. Switch to low-sodium varieties or make homemade soup with fresh herbs and no salt.
Homemade chicken - Skip commercial rotisserie or fried chicken takeout dinners and bake or saute plain chicken breasts with salt-free herb mixes. You can also cook chicken breasts with white wine, carrots and onions to serve as a savory base for casseroles or soups.
Remodel tacos and burritos - Instead of white flour tortillas with 400 mg of sodium, salty cheese, beans and meats, use whole grain corn tortillas (only 5 mg per), low-sodium canned beans, fresh chopped vegetables, unsalted beef and low-sodium salsas.
De-salt snacks - Choose low, or reduced sodium versions of popcorn, pretzels, chips, crackers and snack mixes. Or just stop buying them for a while and try savory hummus dips with carrot strips and celery, and fresh vegetable trays with cherry tomatoes.
Enjoy eggs at home - Fast-food egg breakfasts come with salty cheese, ham and English muffins. Commercial omelets are often loaded with bacon, ham, and salty cheese. Invent your own omelets with fresh veggies and low-fat cheese. Enjoy sliced hard-boiled eggs in salads or egg salad sandwiches with low-sodium mayo.
Pick cheeses carefully - Feta and blue cheese are super salty. Ricotta and goat cheese have much less salt. Choose low-sodium cheese or use grated flavorful hard cheese such as Parmesan or Romano.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Wellington, Fla.