Ways to Reduce a High Intake of Salt
According to statistics, most people on the Standard American Diet consume too much salt on a daily basis.
Salt is an essential mineral that the body requires in small quantities in order to function properly.
It helps to prevent both mental and physical illnesses when taken in the right amounts, but when taken in excess amounts it can lead to serious health problems such as high blood pressure and fluid retention.
Therefore it is essential to find ways to reduce a high intake of salt whenever possible.
Avoid Foods High in Salt The best way to reduce a high intake of salt is to avoid processed foods, as they often contain high amounts of salt that is added not only for flavor, but as a preservative as well.
These foods include fast foods, canned and boxed foods, as well as most junk foods.
Other foods that may contain high amounts of salt are baked goods such as breads, biscuits and pies.
It is a good practice to read the labels if more than one brand of a certain food is available, as that can help individuals to opt for the brand that contains the least amount of salt.
Rinse Canned Foods Certain canned foods such as mushrooms, corn, carrots and peas can be rinsed under clean water to help remove some of the salt that is used for preservation.
This still allows for the convenience of using canned foods for quick food preparation, but without the high amounts of excess salt.
Cook From Scratch Cooking from scratch will reduce the amount of processed sauces and seasonings that are often used to help bring out the flavor in foods.
Just about all flavors that can be obtained from these seasonings can also be obtained using lemon or lime juice, as well as fresh herbs and spices such as garlic, ginger, parsley, cilantro, basil, sage, rosemary, mint and oregano.
Consume Plenty of Fruits and Vegetables Fruits and vegetables also contain salt, but in much smaller amounts than most other foods.
In addition they are high in many other nutrients that the body needs in order to be healthy.
Hence they are a good food to add to the diet in abundance.
Use Sea Salt Unrefined sea salt contains lower amounts of sodium than regular salt.
Thus it is a better choice when using salt in baking, cooking or when adding it at the table, as it can help to reduce the intake of salt naturally.
Salt is an essential mineral that the body requires in small quantities in order to function properly.
It helps to prevent both mental and physical illnesses when taken in the right amounts, but when taken in excess amounts it can lead to serious health problems such as high blood pressure and fluid retention.
Therefore it is essential to find ways to reduce a high intake of salt whenever possible.
Avoid Foods High in Salt The best way to reduce a high intake of salt is to avoid processed foods, as they often contain high amounts of salt that is added not only for flavor, but as a preservative as well.
These foods include fast foods, canned and boxed foods, as well as most junk foods.
Other foods that may contain high amounts of salt are baked goods such as breads, biscuits and pies.
It is a good practice to read the labels if more than one brand of a certain food is available, as that can help individuals to opt for the brand that contains the least amount of salt.
Rinse Canned Foods Certain canned foods such as mushrooms, corn, carrots and peas can be rinsed under clean water to help remove some of the salt that is used for preservation.
This still allows for the convenience of using canned foods for quick food preparation, but without the high amounts of excess salt.
Cook From Scratch Cooking from scratch will reduce the amount of processed sauces and seasonings that are often used to help bring out the flavor in foods.
Just about all flavors that can be obtained from these seasonings can also be obtained using lemon or lime juice, as well as fresh herbs and spices such as garlic, ginger, parsley, cilantro, basil, sage, rosemary, mint and oregano.
Consume Plenty of Fruits and Vegetables Fruits and vegetables also contain salt, but in much smaller amounts than most other foods.
In addition they are high in many other nutrients that the body needs in order to be healthy.
Hence they are a good food to add to the diet in abundance.
Use Sea Salt Unrefined sea salt contains lower amounts of sodium than regular salt.
Thus it is a better choice when using salt in baking, cooking or when adding it at the table, as it can help to reduce the intake of salt naturally.
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