Interpreting the Salt Content on Food LabelsThe Federal Drug Administration (FDA) is making an effort to create public awareness of the amount of salt in store products. "By appropriately labeling, we are attempting to inform the public and those who want to keep their sodium intake down as to the amount of sodium they are consuming," says Ida Yoder, a chemist with the FDA's over-the-counter drug products division. But some salt descriptors are not so cut and dry. Use the flowing list as a guideline to help determine the approximate number of milligrams of salt in a product: |
|
Fresh is Best
Avoid processed foods in the grocery store and head directly to the fresh fruit and vegetable aisle instead. Rather than adding salt to these fresh food items while cooking, use unsalted butter or salt alternatives. Many salt substitutes, such as NoSalt, are sodium-free but taste like the real thing. By incorporating salt substitutes and other spices into your cooking, you can still add flavor to food while skipping the sodium. In addition, use a variety of spice substitutes as salt alternatives like Seasoned NoSalt.
If you do buy canned vegetables, rinsing them in water for one minute can reduce their sodium content by 40-percent. Also, it is important to resist the temptation of fast food, which also usually has a high salt content.
See also:
Processed Foods and Salt
Tips for a Low Sodium Diet
Salt Sense
Interpreting the Labels
A Twist on Salt
Low-Sodium Diet Can Decrease Blood Pressure
Salt and Diabetics
