Because lowering the amount of salt you consume is important -- it's beneficial for everyone to read labels and learn the sodium guidelines set by the FDA. Here's what the terminology means:
- Sodium-free -- less than 5 milligrams of sodium per serving
- Very low-sodium -- 35 milligrams or less per serving
- Low-sodium -- 140 milligrams or less per serving
- Reduced sodium -- usual sodium level is reduced by 25% of the original item.
- Unsalted, no salt added, or without added salt -- made without the added salt that's normally used, but still contains the sodium that's a natural part of the food itself
- Healthy -- FDA and USDA state that a food that has the claim "healthy" must not exceed 360 mg sodium per reference amount. However, "meal type" products are typically larger, so they must not exceed 480 mg sodium per portion.
Also, be aware of the following red flags:
- Ingredientswith sodium:
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Brine
- Broth
- MSG
- NaCl
- Salt
- Soy Sauce
- High sodium preparation methods:
- Cured
- Corned
- Pickled
- Smoked
- Common foods and their average sodium amounts:
- Table Salt (1/4 teaspoon) 580mg
- Salt Substitute (1/4 teapsoon) 0mg
- Ketchup (2Tbsp) 380mg
- Bacon (3 slices) 435mg
- Lox (2 oz) 840mg
- Luncheon Meat (4 oz) 1200mg
- Canned Soup (2 cups) 1880mg
- Pickle (1) 833mg
- Salad dressing, commercial brands (4 Tbsp) 860mg
- Frozen Entrée (average serving) 880mg
- Soy sauce (1 Tbsp) 1014mg
- Low-sodium soy sauce (1 Tbsp) 599mg
- Chicken Broth (1 cup) 980mg
- Chicken Broth (1 cup) 0 - 140mg
Keep in mind that a lot of your favorite high sodium foods, like canned soup and luncheon meat, come in tasty, low-salt varieties. For example, the following offer tasty low-sodium meal options: Healthy Choice (canned and frozen varieties), Progresso (canned), Campbell's (canned), and Amy's (canned and frozen).
2007 Joy Bauer Nutrition
. All Rights Reserved.
