Healthy Eating: Making Meals With Less Sodium

Healthy Eating: Making Meals With Less Sodium (00:02:25)
Video Transcript

Part of healthy eating is  eating less sodium, or salt.

And you can cut back on sodium  without giving up your favorite foods.

It may just mean making some changes, like finding lower-sodium  substitutes for the foods you like.

There are other things you can  try too. Here are some ideas.

Read food and drink labels.

Most packaged foods and drinks  have a Nutrition Facts label that will tell you how much  sodium is in one serving.

Reading labels can help you make choices  about what you're eating and drinking.

Whenever you can, buy fresh fruits and  veggies. They are naturally low in sodium.

And choose meats and fish  that don't have added salt.

Try to avoid cured or smoked meats.

And try to avoid canned and ready-to-eat foods.

Now, sometimes canned and ready-to-eat  foods are the only options.

Just remember to look at the labels and try  to choose low-sodium or sodium-free foods.

If you can, try to make  most of your meals at home.

This makes it easier to manage  how much sodium is in your food.

For example, you could try to  make your own sauces or soups.

Flavor them with fresh or dried herbs and  spices instead of salt or dry soup mixes.

And use fresh or frozen veggies  instead of ones from a can.

If you do use canned veggies or beans,  drain and rinse them after opening.

This removes some of the salt but not all of it.

You can make your own soup by  using a low-sodium broth as a base.

Cut fresh onions, celery, carrots, and  potatoes, and toss them into a pot with water.

Add some garlic and pepper to season.

To make a low-sodium tomato sauce, use fresh tomatoes or canned  tomatoes with no salt added.

Mix in basil, oregano, garlic, and olive oil.

Then add cinnamon to give  your sauce a little sweetness.

Or add red pepper flakes to give it some kick.

And finally, remember to  use less salt at the table.

Or try using other seasonings  for your food instead of salt.

So now you have some ideas to get started.

Read food and drink labels, buy  fresh foods whenever you can, try making your own meals at home when you  have the time, and use less salt at the table.

Remember, you can make healthy, low-sodium  meals and still enjoy foods that taste great.

Just a few small changes  can make a big difference.

Current as of: October 7, 2024

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

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