EXTENSION PROGRAM
How Low Can You Go On Salt? - Low
Empowering People
Fact Sheet
Adapted from Nutrition 411
Why reduce your sodium intake? It helps to prevent (or reduce) high blood pressure which can reduce your risk for heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke
GOAL: • Limit total sodium intake to about ¾ of a teaspoon of table salt • Your doctor may recommend a lower goal if you have high blood pressure.
During food preparation: • Use less salt or NO salt when preparing foods • Drain and rinse canned foods such as tuna or beans to remove some sodium.
Try these fresh or dried herbs and spices to enhance flavor instead of salt: Allspice – ground meats, stews, tomatoes, peaches Almond extract – puddings, fruits Basil – eggs, fish, lamb, beef, stews, salads, soups, sauces Bay leaves – meats, stews, chicken, turkey, soups, tomatoes Chives – eggs, salads, sauces, soups, meats, vegetables, rice Cider Vinegar – salads, vegetables, potatoes, sauces Cilantro – meats, chicken, fish, tomatoes, rice, pasta Cinnamon – fruits, bread Curry Powder – meats, chicken, fish, tomatoes Garlic – meats, poultry, fish, vegetables, rice, pasta
Ginger – chicken, fish, fruits, meat, vegetables Mustard Powder – ground meats, salads, sauces, potatoes Nutmeg – fruits, potatoes Paprika – meats, fish, stews, sauces, soups, vegetables Parsley – meats, fish, stews, sauces, soups, salads, vegetables Rosemary – chicken, veal, meats, potatoes, bread, pasta Sage – meats, stews, biscuits, tomatoes, green beans Savory – salads, eggs, meats, soups, green beans, tomatoes Thyme – eggs, meats, sauces, soups, vegetables, tomatoes
at the table: • Remove the salt shaker from the table. Use black pepper (freshly ground, if possible, for best flavor) crushed red pepper, garlic powder, or onion powder. This Fact sheet is provided by: Edith Ezekwe, MS, RD, LD, MT (ASCP), Extension Nutrition Specialist/ Instructor, Nutrition and Dietetics Department of Human Sciences, Alcorn State University, Phone: 601.877.6258, Fax: 601.877.3960 Reference: Reduce salt and sodium in your diet. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health website http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/prevent/sodium/sodium.htm. Accessed March 27, 2014. Alcorn State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion or disability in delivery of programs and is an equal opportunity employer.