I have to admit, I love salt. I’m much more prone to craving salt than sugar, and if I’m having a stressful couple of days, I find myself looking for a big bag of salty chips. Can you relate? Luckily, by including tons of whole foods in my diet, I don’t have to feel horrible if I occasionally indulge in them. Everybody has their thing. Instead, I focus on removing unnecessary salt from my diet in other areas.
First off, salt is not necessarily a bad thing. Our bodies need salt to function properly, but unfortunately, most processed foods and foods from restaurants and take-out places use WAY TOO MUCH salt. Experts have been estimating that the average American is consuming about twice the amount of salt we should be having every day. This problem puts our bodies on salt overload and leaves us at risk for a slew of problems including high blood pressure and reduced kidney function.
Here are a few places you can cut the salt:
- Canned vegetables and soups – look for “no salt added” cans for a dramatic reduction in sodium. Read the label on a regular can versus a “no salt added” can and you’ll see the dramatic difference. If you’re using a canned vegetable in a recipe (such as tomato paste), you’ll likely add your own salt anyways (in a smaller amount per serving).
- Frozen dinners – these can be a salt trap, so make sure you read the labels to compare. Some healthy frozen dinners (such as Amy’s Meals or Kashi) are a fantastic substitute when you’re short on time. So, if you do have one, just be mindful of the salt and limit your intake for the rest of the day.
- Chicken/vegetable/beef stock – store-bought broths or stocks are a dream for people who make a lot of home-cooked meals (I’m one of them). But, they usually have a ton of salt too. So, I always buy the “no salt added” or “low sodium” kind.
- Cereals - this one surprises a lot of people, but cereals are often loaded with salt. Consider cutting down on processed breakfast cereals and replace with natural granolas or oats that do not have added salt (check the ingredient list…you don’t want salt in there).
- Deli meats – try to avoid buying any pre-packaged deli meats. Instead, opt for organic and free range meats and cut thin slices yourself. You’ll be doing yourself a big favor.
- Spaghetti sauce – again, look for “no salt added” varieties.
- Salad dressing – instead of buying it from a bottle, just keep a few items on-hand for easy salad dressings that take 1 minute to prepare (for example, a little drizzle of olive oil, vinegar, black pepper, and lemon juice).
- Nuts – reach for unsalted nuts. If you toast your nuts in a saute pan or in the oven, they will have a fabulous crunchy texture and you won’t miss the salt as much. Raw is great too and full of the most nutrients.
- Chips – just try to eat these sparingly.
Many brands are also offering lower salt varieties.
Tip1: Remember to look at how much salt is in each serving. One “serving” is often much less than we normally consume.
Tip2: It’s worth it to buy high-quality, unrefined salts from your local health food store to use in your cooking at home. They are better for you than traditional white table salt because they have not been stripped of their essential minerals. Plus, many of us agree that unrefined natural salts taste better too.
For more information, check out this interesting article from the NY Times, “Throwing the Book at Salt.”
