You might think your diet is healthy, but hidden sodium in everyday foods could sabotage your health.

Excessive sodium intake contributes to hypertension, heart disease, and other conditions that could affect your quality of life.

And it’s not just the salt shaker that’s the culprit. Sodium is present in processed foods and restaurant meals, making it difficult to manage.

However, you can lower your sodium intake by making informed choices and adopting simple habits.

In this article we’ll share why it impacts your health, the recommended daily dose and 7 tips for a low-sodium diet.

How does high sodium intake impact your health?

Sodium is important for kidney, muscle, and nerve function and for maintaining proper hydration. However, too much sodium in your diet can raise your blood pressure, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other complications.¹ 

The exact reason for the effect of sodium on blood pressure isn’t clear. But there’s a possibility that your body tries to balance it out by holding onto more water.¹  This extra water can put a strain on your heart and blood vessels.² 

High sodium intake also contributes to:

• Chronic kidney disease 
• Cancer
• Osteoporosis^3,4,5

Recommendations for daily sodium intake

The WHO recommends limiting sodium intake to reduce the risks associated with high consumption.

The WHO also suggests eating iodized salt as it is important for brain development in babies and young children and for improving mental well-being.

Tips for a low-sodium diet

Dr Mark Cooper, a board-certified Gastroenterologist suggests making small, consistent changes. He explains that you don't have to get to the finish line on day one. Instead, focus on the process that will take you there. 

Here are 7 tips that can help you to reduce your sodium intake.

Thoroughly read nutrition labels 

According to Kate Watts, a Registered Dietitian, “Many people associate sodium intake with using a salt shaker. A significant portion of the sodium we consume is already present in our foods. In fact, it's estimated that at least 70% of the sodium is already consumed in foods. Therefore, reading nutrition labels is essential for managing sodium intake.”

Kate recommends checking the serving size on the nutrition label of the container. She also adds that the values listed are for one serving, not the entire container. 

Here’s how you can find out what the recommended sodium amount is best for you:

Kate also suggests looking for words like "salt," "sea salt," "sodium," "disodium," "trisodium," "sodium bicarbonate," "monosodium glutamate," and "MSG" on the containers. 

Lastly, she adds that even if a product is labelled "unsalted" or "no salt added," it may still contain minimal amounts of naturally occurring sodium. Always check the nutrition label for accurate information.

Lower your blood pressure with the DASH diet

The DASH or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension eating plan is a heart-healthy diet that helps prevent high blood pressure. It is low in sodium, unhealthy fats, and cholesterol. 

The diet includes: 

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Whole grains
• Low-fat dairy product

Here are 3 three heart-healthy recipes by Dr. Holly Nicastro, a Nutrition Scientist, and Carlene Thomas, a Registered Dietician: 

Chicken picadillo or chikadillo

Ingredients

• Chicken
• Rice
• Olive oil
• Onion
• Peppers
• Golden raisins
• Cumin
• Bay leaves
• Lemon juice
• Low-sodium chicken stock
• No-salt-added tomato sauce
• Water

Dr. Holly explains that substituting chicken for beef lowers saturated fat, which is important for reducing unhealthy cholesterol levels. 

Stir-fried chicken and brown rice (Wiki Rice)

Ingredients

• Garlic
• Ginger
• Scallions
• Water chestnuts
• Leftover chicken
• Brown rice
• Frozen or fresh vegetables
• Light soy sauce
• Sesame oil

Dr Holly highlights that brown rice and vegetables contribute to fibre and vital minerals while using light soy sauce aligns with the DASH diet, which is low in sodium.

Get personalised guidance with dietary counselling

Dietary counselling plays an important role in reducing sodium intake. Your doctor can help you by giving specific advice on how to eat less sodium. 

Studies show this can be effective, but it's important to remember that just giving advice isn't enough. Doctors can play a big role in encouraging people to make changes and stick to them. ^6,7

A good counselling session includes:

• Assessing the readiness to change
• Discussing the benefits of reducing sodium
• Talking about healthy diets like DASH
• Helping to overcome barriers to change
• Setting goals
• Providing written information ⁷

Dietary counselling is especially important for high-risk people. Doctors should refer them to dietitians or health educators. 

Choose low-sodium dishes at restaurants

Dr Mark suggests that you should change how you eat at restaurants.

Here’s what you need to do:

• Skip appetisers, as they often have the highest sodium
• Instead, indulge in dessert, which is lower in sodium, even if it's high in fat

If you do want an appetiser, choose one with less sodium. Also, be mindful of how many chips you're eating as they're often loaded with sodium.

He explains that you should also consider how your meat is prepared. Many restaurants brine their meat, or if it's breaded, that adds a lot of sodium.

Instead, opt for simply prepared meats and swap out sides. If you're ordering a burger with fries, substitute the fries for a salad, and go for olive oil and vinegar instead of creamy dressings.

Lastly, be careful of condiments and sauces, as they often contain a lot of sodium.

Add no-salt seasonings to your food

Dr. Susan Mayne, Director of FDA, recommends swapping salt with no-salt seasoning blends. She adds that herbs and spices can be a fun way to add flavour to your food without the health risks associated with too much sodium. 

Some herbs and spices you can try instead of salt are:

• Thyme
• Garlic
• Basil
• Green and red chilli
• Parsely
• Ginger
• Red chilli
• Cilantro
• Sichuan peppercorns

Eat more fruits and vegetables

Dr Mark recommends eating fruits and vegetables because they often have no salt, so you can get potassium into your diet in the absence of salt while filling yourself up with other nutrients.

But he warns people with advanced kidney disease or those on medications like spironolactone to be careful. He explains that in such cases you will retain potassium, if you’re having too much, and it could reach dangerously high levels.

Prepare homemade meals

Prepare your meals at home using fresh, whole ingredients instead of relying on processed or restaurant foods.

Processed foods and restaurant dishes often have a lot of hidden salt. But when you prepare meals at home using fresh, whole ingredients, you’re the one in charge.

You can experiment with herbs, spices, and natural flavours, adding just the right amount of seasoning without compromising taste or your health goals. Plus, home cooking lets you explore new flavours while cutting back on unnecessary sodium.

Summary

Reducing sodium intake may protect your health, especially if you’re at risk for heart disease, hypertension, or kidney problems. 

With practical tips like reading nutrition labels, following the DASH diet, and preparing homemade meals, you can take control of your sodium intake. 

Small, consistent changes over time will help you reduce sodium without sacrificing taste, leading to long-term benefits for your health.

FAQs

What are some of the mistakes people make on a low-sodium diet?

Dr Mark Cooper highlighted 5 mistakes one should never make if on a low-sodium diet:

• Never use a salt shaker
• Never eat preserved deli meat or canned/jarred sauces, vegetables, beans, or meats
• Never trust a "low sodium" label
• Never eat a pre-made frozen meal

Which foods have a low sodium concentration?

According to the USF Health, foods that may contain low amounts of sodium are:

• Fresh or frozen beef, lamb, pork, poultry and fish
• Eggs
• Low-sodium peanut butter
• Dry peas and beans (not canned)
• Low-sodium canned fish
• Milk, yoghourt, ice cream and ice milk
• Breads, bagels and rolls without salted tops
• Muffins and most ready-to-eat cereals
• Unsalted popcorn, chips and pretzels
• Fresh and frozen vegetables without sauces
• Low-salt tomato or V-8 juice
• Most fresh, frozen and canned fruit
• Dried fruits
• Homemade soups without added salt