8 FOODS HIGH IN SODIUM AND WHAT TO EAT INSTEAD

Table salt, known chemically as sodium chloride, is made up of 40% sodium. It’s estimated that at least half of people with hypertension have blood pressure that’s affected by sodium consumption — meaning they’re salt sensitive. In addition, your risk for salt sensitivity increases with age. The Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for sodium is 2,300 mg — or about 1 teaspoon of salt. Here are 8 foods that tend to be high in sodium — and what to eat instead.

 

1 Baked beans

Unlike other canned beans, you can’t rinse baked beans with water to wash away some of the salt since you’d be washing away the flavorful sauce as well. Recipes to make baked beans at home may not have any less sodium, but you can modify them to reduce the added salt.

 

2 Frozen meals

The FDA has set a limit of 600 mg of sodium for a frozen meal to qualify as healthy. You can use this number as a reasonable sodium limit when shopping for frozen meals. Still, it’s healthier to make your own meals.

 

3 Macaroni and cheese

This favorite comfort food is high in sodium, mainly due to the salty cheese sauce. If you want to occasionally eat macaroni and cheese, consider buying a whole grain version and dilute the dish by adding some vegetables, such as broccoli or spinach.

4 Biscuits

This breakfast favorite packs its share of sodium even when it’s not smothered in gravy. The ones you make from frozen or refrigerated dough may be especially high in sodium, so limit biscuits to an occasional treat.

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5 Tomato sauce

You may not think to check the sodium in a can of plain tomato sauce or other canned tomato products, but you should. Fortunately, canned tomato products without added salt are widely available.

6 Pickles

The sodium in whole pickles adds up more quickly. A medium-sized dill pickle packs 561 mg of sodium, or 24% of the RDI. If you’re on a sodium-restricted diet, keep pickle portions small.

7 Sandwiches

Sandwiches are another one of the multi-ingredient dishes that account for almost half of the sodium Americans consume. The bread, processed meat, cheese, and condiments often used to make sandwiches all contribute a significant amount of sodium. You can significantly cut back on sodium, by choosing unprocessed sandwich toppings, such as grilled chicken breast with sliced avocado and tomato.

 

8 Cottage cheese

Cottage cheese is a good source of calcium and an excellent source of protein, but it’s also relatively high in salt. However, one study found that rinsing cottage cheese under running water for 3 minutes, then draining it, reduces sodium content by 63%.

How do you lower your sodium consumption?

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