As American Heart Month continues, it is important to learn about the many ways we can decrease our chances of heart disease. This includes paying attention to our sodium intake.
Current dietary guidelines recommend that adults should consume no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. However, certain population groups should consume no more than 1,500 mg per day. The 1,500 mg recommendation applies to approximately half the U.S. population overall, including adults 51 years of age and older, African Americans, and anyone diagnosed with high blood pressure, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease. Eating less sodium can help prevent or control high blood pressure, and nearly everyone benefits from reduced sodium consumption.
The majority of sodium in our diets comes from packaged and restaurant food and is a direct result of food processing. Even foods that may not taste salty can be major sources of sodium. Along with eating more fruits and vegetables, there are things you can do to reduce your sodium intake, including:
- Buying fresh, frozen (no sauce or cheese added), or no salt added canned vegetables.
- Using fresh poultry, fish, pork, and lean meat, rather than canned, cured, salted, smoked or processed meats. Make sure to check the labels to see if saline or salt solution has been added – if so, choose another brand.
- Limiting sauces, mixes, and “instant” products, including flavored rice and ready-made pasta.
- Using spices and salt-free seasonings to flavor your food.
- Comparing nutrition facts labels on food packages for the Daily Value (DV) percentage or amount of sodium in milligrams (mg) per serving, and choosing the lowest sodium option.
- Asking for no salt added when dining out.
To learn more about reducing sodium in your diet, visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website at www.cdc.gov/salt. For a low-cost, online program designed to improve eating and physical activity habits, visit the St. Mary’s County Health Department’s website at www.smchd.org and click on the Healthy Eating & Active Living link to learn about the St. Mary’s County Alive! program.