It can be surprising to most of the people to know where most of the salt in our food comes from. All foods contain salt which is naturally present in low levels but around 80% of the salt is hidden in processed foods. In addition to processed foods, the rest of the salt comes from the added salt during cooking. Studies published in British Medical Journal show that eating low sodium foods can lower your risk of high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease.  

Most of the sodium comes from salt added to processed foods. It is recommended to have 2300 mg of salt per day which comes up to 1 tsp. 

Which are the foods to look for when you say high salty foods?

Certain breads – Read the food labels (Nutrition Facts Label), look for the sodium content on the packet to see how much sodium the packed food contains. Not all breads are low in sodium. Few breads like pita bread and salted breads are high in sodium (300mg per slice) which can add upto the daily intake of sodium. 

Frozen meals – Most of the frozen foods are high in sodium content as preservatives are added to it. It may contain up to 500mg per meal. Check the food labels before opting for it.

Salad dressings – 1 tbsp of the dressing which is prepared commercially on an average is said to have 214mg of sodium. Watch out for salad dressing the next time you eat, opt for vinegar and oils like olive oil, sesame oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, which are natural food sources.

Cereals- ready to eat – These also have high sodium content as it is added with preservatives. It is said to have up to 300mg of sodium per cup of the cereal. 

The other foods which are high in sodium are canned soups and foods, pizzas, cured meats, cheese, coated chicken nuggets, sausages, cooking sauces, noodle snack pots (ready to eat), olives in brine, pickles, ham, prawns, salted and dry roasted nuts, yeast extract, salted fish, canned baked beans, biscuits, burgers, breakfast cereals, cakes and pastries, ready to eat meals, sandwiches, tinned foods, etc.

Check for any processed and packaged food for sodium content. For a product to claim “sodium free or salt free” on the label, it cannot exceed 5mg of sodium per serving. Similarly, a product to claim “low sodium”, it must not exceed 140mg of sodium per serving. 

Here are few steps to lower your hidden salt in your diet:
•    Avoid all the pre-packed, processed foods and the above mentioned high sodium foods.
•    Include more of fresh fruits and vegetables and avoid buying high sodium sauces, canned and preserved foods.
•    Read food labels and compare with the products of other brands and opt for low sodium choices.
•    Do not over eat low sodium foods thinking that they don’t give too much sodium. When eaten in large amounts, low sodium foods can also supply high amounts of sodium in your diet.
•    Read ingredients mentioned on the product as well. Any salt mentioned, baking soda, sodium bicarbonate, monosodium glutamate (MSG), all of these contain high sodium.
•    Use alternatives for taste enhancing like lemon, vinegar, garlic instead of salt while cooking. Add less amount of salt in your food.

It best to keep the levels of hidden salt under check in your diet by following the above mentioned steps and also it becomes easier to lower the risk of lifestyle health disorders by doing so.