High-Sodium Foods to Avoid
By Lana Bandoim
Whether you have high blood pressure or other medical conditions that require limiting sodium, it is important to learn which foods to avoid. Extra salt can lurk in canned chicken noodle soup or ranch salad dressing. Talk to a doctor about your diet changes and consider the following tips.
Fast Food
Fast food tends to have a lot of salt because it improves the taste and acts as a preservative. You can find too much salt in burgers, fries and other common fast food items. Consider skipping the fast food restaurants and eating at home.
Sauces and Dressings
Many sauces pack a lot of salt into a tiny serving. Soy sauce and tomato sauce are some of the worst culprits. However, they are not the only high-sodium things that need to be avoided. Ketchup, mustard and salad dressings are also high-sodium options.
Processed Food
In general, processed food has a lot of salt as a preservative. It also helps improve the flavor of items that are frozen and have to be thawed. Try to avoid frozen dinners, prepackaged meals, canned soups and processed food. Focus on cooking fresh meals at home that allow you to control all the ingredients, including salt.
Meat
Many types of meat have too much salt. Some of the worst options are cured, salted or canned meat products. Avoid bacon, ham and sausages if you are on a low-sodium diet. Try to buy fresh and lean meat that has to be cooked at home.
Dairy
Many people do not think about the amount of sodium in dairy products. However, some items such as cheese and buttermilk are considered high-sodium. Cottage cheese is usually viewed as a healthy option, but it also tends to have a lot of salt. Try to use lower sodium options such as milk, yogurt, cream cheese and ricotta.
Vegetables
The way vegetables are prepared and stored affects their sodium content. For example, olives in a jar will have a lot of salt while fresh kale will be free from salt. Avoid canned vegetables unless the label has an unsalted or low sodium claim. Try to skip the pickled vegetable aisle at the store. Focus on buying fresh or frozen vegetables without extra salt.
Pay attention to labels and learn to avoid high-sodium foods. Salt can hide in many foods, so it is important to check everything before sitting down to eat. Learn to modify your favorite recipes to cut down the salt.
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Noblesville, Ind.