10 Ways to Shake The Salt
The Canadian Sodium Working Group recommends that all Canadians take steps to reduce their sodium consumption as part of an overall healthy diet. Here's what you can do.
- Cook from scratch. That way you can control the amount of salt and sodium added to the recipe. Look for heart healthy recipes with high-fibre, low-fat and whole-grain ingredients.
- Use sodium-reduced and salt-free ingredients. If you love soup, try making our Moroccan Red Lentil Soup, which uses sodium-reduced vegetable broth and Becel Salt-Free margarine. Experiment with salt-free seasonings such as ginger, garlic, black pepper, lemon juice and various herbs and spices. You won't miss the salt at all in this delicious Pesto Pasta with Chicken, Zucchini, Peppers and Tomatoes, which is literally packed with fresh basil and parsley.
- Hide the salt shaker. Avoid adding salt to the water when you cook potatoes, pasta or rice. Put the pepper mill on the dinner table, but leave the salt shaker out of sight in the pantry.
- Ditch the deli. Make sandwiches with roasted or grilled meats instead of canned or processed deli meats, which can be packed with sodium.
- Use fresh or frozen first. Cook with fresh or frozen vegetables and fresh, frozen or dried beans whenever you can. If you're cooking with canned veggies or beans, give them a rinse first to wash away some of the salt that has been added.
- Read Nutrition Facts labels and ingredients lists. Buy lower-sodium and sodium-reduced versions of foods. Look for the words "salt-free," "reduced-salt," "low sodium" or "no sodium added" on food packages. Watch out for sodium-containing ingredients such as MSG (monosodium glutamate), sodium benzoate, sodium nitrite/nitrate and sodium propionate.
- Compare the % Daily Value for sodium. This number tells you quickly if there is a little or a lot of sodium in the food. Compare similar serving sizes of different brands of foods to make sure you're always choosing the ones with the lowest % Daily Value for sodium.
- Be smart with your snacks. Skip the salty snacks. Instead, snack on fresh fruit and veggies, unsalted popcorn, nuts and crackers.
- Reduce sodium when dining out. Pizza, sandwiches, submarines, hamburgers and hotdogs are the top sources of sodium in our diet. When you're dining out, choose lower-sodium dishes, consider ordering smaller, more sensibly sized portions, or split an entrée with a friend. If possible, check out the restaurant's menu and nutrition information ahead of time.
- Be patient. It's going to take some time for your taste buds to adjust to eating sodium-reduced foods and adding less salt to your meals, but it will happen! And remember that every small change you make is a step toward better heart health.