Cutting Down on Salt

Taking less salt bring enormous benefits to one’s health. Here’s a guide on shopping and preparing food, still flavorful but with less salt.

My Doctor advised me to start a low-salt diet. How can I cut down my salt intake?

The recommended intake of sodium is less than 2.4 grams a day, which is equal to one teaspoon of salt. It can reduce your systolic blood pressure by 2 to 8 mm Hg.

Enjoy more flavorful dishes with less salt. Try these…

Combine 3 herbs or less in one dish, but have 1 dominant herb.

Use fresh herbs when possible as they have more flavor.

Use lemon juice, wine, and freshly ground pepper to accent natural flavors.

Try orange or pineapple juice as a base for meat marinades.

Flavorful Dishes

What can be used to add flavors and cut down salt.

How can I use food labels to make better food choices?

Sodium is found in many types of food, but it is especially available in high amounts in processed food, canned goods, instant and ready-to-eat meals, chips and other snacks.

To help you in your grocery shopping, pay close attention to the food labels and compare nutrients found in the products.

Percent Daily Value (PDV)
Based on a 2,000-calorie diet for adults, the PDV is a guide to nutrients in one serving of food. For example, sodium is listed with 5%. That means 1 serving provides 5% of the sodium you need each day.