Beware of these sodium shocker foods

Have you met your allotted amount of sodium for the day?  The answer to this is most likely you have.  The vast majority of Americans consume far more sodium than is considered a healthy amount - an average of more than 3,400 milligrams (mg) each day.  However, recommendations from the American Heart Association and the Recommended Dietary Guidelines for Americans state that adults should consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day as part of a healthy eating pattern. 

If you want to cut back and most of us should, you need to do more than ease up on the salt shaker on your table.  Watch what food choices you make.  You may be shocked by some of the foods that contain far more sodium than you realize.

·      Frozen dinners

Sure, frozen dinners are quick, convenient, and easy.  And loaded with sodium.  A 5-ounce frozen turkey and gravy dinner packs 1,255 mg. 

Try instead – Start by reading the nutrition facts label and look at the amount of sodium per serving.  Choose dinners with less than 450 mg per serving.  Frozen dinners that may meet these criteria might be a “lighter” version but it’s no guarantee.  Best bet is to consume frozen dinners very infrequently if at all and make your own dinner from scratch where you can control the amount of salt used.

·      Ready-to-eat cereals

Breakfast cereals can vary quite a bit in their sodium content so always check the nutrition facts label for the amount of sodium per serving size.  Some brands of raisin bran cereals can have up to 250 mg of sodium per cup. 

Try instead – Most of your puffed rice and wheat cereals have minimal salt in them.  Also many of the high fiber cereals tend to be lower sodium.  Look for cereals with no more than 200 mg per serving. 

·      Vegetable juices

On the one hand, drinking a vegetable juice can be a convenient way to meet your veggie amounts for the day.  But, one cup of vegetable juice cocktail can have up to 615 mg of sodium – ouch. 

Try instead – Look for low-sodium versions of vegetable juice.

·      Canned vegetables

Most canned goods and particularly canned vegetables are notoriously high in sodium.  Sodium is used as a preservative and as a flavoring agent. 

Try instead – Canned vegetables are still a good way to meet your daily servings for veggies and are usually more economical than fresh.  But to reduce the sodium found in canned veggies, after opening the can, dump the contents in a colander rinsing them under cold running water for about 30 seconds to rinse away most of the sodium content.  Also look for labels that say “no salt added” or “low sodium.”  Don’t forget about frozen veggies.  Buy plain veggies without any sauce and there will be little if any sodium in them.

·      Packaged deli meats

All it takes is one look at the salt content in packaged meats and you’ll discover they truly are a sodium shocker.  Two slices of dry salami made of beef or pork can have 362 mg of sodium.

Try instead – Roast meat (such as beef, chicken, or turkey) yourself with little added salt and use it for sandwiches. 

·      Soup

Soup is such a comforting food on a cold winter day but watch out for the sodium content – most canned versions are swimming in sodium.  A cup of canned chicken noodle soup can have 831 mg of sodium - and most people consume more than just one cup of soup at a time.

Try instead – Buy reduced –sodium versions of your favorites.  They will still tend to be high in sodium but not nearly as bad as the regular. Often the “Healthy” version will have less sodium than the “25% less sodium” variety. Or make a pot of soup yourself using a low sodium recipe such as this chicken noodle soup recipe.

·      Marinades and flavorings

Watch out for flavorings as they can have a boatload of sodium.  For example, one tablespoon of teriyaki sauce can have 879 mg sodium.  The same amount of soy sauce may have up to 1,005 mg. 

Try instead – This is where even the “low-sodium” soy sauce is still very high in sodium, so use it very sparingly.  Naturally low-sodium options to try are vinegar or lemon/lime juice.  Also orange or pineapple juice as a base for meat marinades provides a punch of phenomenal flavor without the overly salty taste.

·      Spaghetti Sauce

If you buy store-bought spaghetti sauce be prepared for more sodium than you bargained for.  Just one-half cup may have as much as 577 mg of sodium and that’s barely enough to cover a helping of pasta.

Try instead – Either look for “no salt added” versions or make your own spaghetti sauce from scratch. 

·      Prepackaged foods

Obviously prepackaged foods are a dime a dozen in a grocery store.  The main ones loaded with sodium to beware of are the convenient “all-in-one” foods (think of meals where you add hamburger meat or the “noodles” concoction that is a favorite of college students) in which typically there is a flavoring packet to add to the mix.  It is quite easy to end up consuming more than half of your daily allowance of sodium in just one serving. 

Try instead – Choose plain, simple meals in which you can add your own seasonings such as naturally low-sodium herbs and spices.