● Choose low- or reduced-sodium,
or no-salt-added versions of foods
and condiments when available.
● Choose fresh, frozen, or
canned (low-sodium or no-salt-added)
vegetables.
● Use fresh poultry, fish, and
lean meat, rather than canned, smoked,
or processed types.
● Choose ready-to-eat breakfast
cereals that are lower in sodium.
● Limit cured foods (such as
bacon and ham); foods packed in
brine (such as pickles, pickled vegetables,
olives, and
sauerkraut); and condiments (such as
mustard, horseradish,
ketchup, and barbecue sauce). Limit even
lower sodium versions
of soy sauce and teriyaki sauce. Treat
these condiments sparingly
as you do table salt.
● Cook rice, pasta, and hot
cereals without salt. Cut back on instant
or flavored rice, pasta, and cereal mixes,
which usually have
added salt.
● Choose “convenience” foods
that are lower in sodium. Cut back on
frozen dinners, mixed dishes such as pizza,
packaged mixes,
canned soups or broths, and salad
dressings—these often have a
lot of sodium.
● Rinse canned foods, such as
tuna and
canned beans, to remove some of
the sodium.
● Use spices instead of salt.
In cooking and at the table,
flavor foods with herbs,
spices, lemon, lime,
vinegar, or salt-free
seasoning blends. Start
by cutting salt in half.
