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Cutting Salt Simply

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 15, 2008

Sodium is everywhere in today's meals. But it's possible to cut down, if you look for some easy-to-find clues:

Eat out less often: Choose restaurants where food is cooked to order, and ask questions about or make requests for food preparation. Ask for proteins grilled without marinades or added salt; oil and vinegar on the side in place of prepared salad dressings; skip the soy or dipping sauce that arrives with sushi. Take advantage of the nutrition information on the Web sites of fast-food and chain restaurants.

Read labels carefully: Top villains include frozen dinners, pizza and packaged rice and pasta mixes. Check not only the sodium content on the nutrition label but also the serving size.

Eat more potassium: Potassium-rich foods help blunt effects of salt on blood pressure, American Heart Association nutritionist Sue Gebo says. Good sources include: dried fruits; strawberries, bananas, cantaloupe and oranges; beets, greens and tomatoes; dried beans; turkey, fish and beef.

Watch meats: Read labels to see if fresh meat or poultry has been marinated, injected with a salty solution, or salted.

Can do: Look for canned vegetables packed without salt, rinse and drain canned vegetables and beans. Or switch to fresh or sauce-free frozen vegetables.

Snack not salt: Limit salty snacks such as potato and tortilla chips and pretzels.

Phase out: To reduce the taste for salt, gradually cut back on salt used in cooking or at the table. Experiment with herbs and spices for seasoning.

Processed food taboo: Cut back on foods that require larger amounts of salt in processing: cured foods such as deli meats, bacon and hot dogs, pickles, and condiments such as soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce.

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