What foods to avoid on a low sodium diet?

There’s nothing like the feeling of being healthy and fit. And when it comes to healthy eating, limiting your sodium intake is one good way of achieving that feat.

Sodium plays an essential role in our body, but excess intake can cause health problems like high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke. The recommended daily amount of sodium for most adults is 2,300mg/person/day[^1], which means about a teaspoon (6g) per day.

While some foods have less salt than others by default, other food items you thought were harmless could be loaded with salt. Below are foods you should avoid if you’re trying to cut down on sodium:

Processed or cured meats

If there was ever an award for the top-notch sodium offenders, processed meat would take the crown any day! They contain extra sodium used as preservatives during production.

Bacon: Yes…we know it’s hard to resist this crispy delight; however according to Healthline, just two slices of cooked bacon can contain over 400 milligrams of sodium!

Canned meat: Canned meat does not only come packing juicy pieces – they also carry up to around 600 milligrams per serving- Yikes!

Hotdogs: Know why they say hot dogs aren’t even real meat? Well here’s something more interesting- these sausage-type snacks too pack so much sodium in them it’s blood-chilling – almost up to 400mg/serving!

Instant noodles

When it comes to convenience people usually forget about their health!. Instant ramen‘s flavorful broth contains loads of salt often beyond what doctors recommend we consume in one meal sitting at once. So next time check those labels properly before getting carried away with your craving for instant noodles.

Cheeses

Don’t let the cheesy exterior fool you, cheese is most likely one of the worst foods with a high salt content that is also sneaky with its hidden sodium ingredients.

Cottage cheese: Don’t feel guilty if you thought cottage cheese was without fault- it still packs some sodium up to 400 milligrams per serving[2] which unfortunately contributes to your total daily intake!

Feta Cheese: This may come as quite a shocker – this creamy goodness has almost 500mg/serving!!

Fried and Junk Food

Junk food should be avoided regardless; however, when trying to keep your sodium levels down such foods are an absolute no-go because they have ‘extra’ (a lot more than required) salt added during production processes.

Chips: Potato chips typically pack in around 150mg/14grams(1Packet).Though calories are essential while consuming snacks still aren’t worth doing damage to our heart health.

French fries: Everybody loves them crispy fries—but not in their arteries! A small size fry can contain nearly 200 milligrams of sodium per serving on average.[^4]

Sauces and Condiments

Some sauces and condiments carry so much extra salt; it’s crazy… Avoid store-bought brands or make use of spices instead!

• Ketchup: Some love ketchup but instead think about all those extra mg packed inside just two teaspoons (10g), adding up already too quickly—to approximately around 140 milligrams. Try using sugar-free ketchup that contains less Sodium when next craving hits.
• Soy Sauce: Soy sauce itself holds quite a lot of flavor for several dishes we all know this—however it’s always important to limit usage due its extremely High Sodium Content approx upwards of ?900 milligram/ped spoonful[^6].

## Snack Bars

You’d think snack bars are relatively healthy -but nope. Some manufacturers often use extra sugar, and there goes the same for salt. Although it’s a good strategy to keep your snacks handy but potluck always comes along with its added risk.

Energy bars: They’re marketed as “healthy” or “fitness-friendly”, however quite a number pack more than 250 milligrams of sodium on average per bar!

Conclusion

In conclusion, if you want to improve heart health & live longer try doing away with Sodium loaded Foods from daily diets! In case you find yourself craving–think again before indulging in any ready-to-eat dishes catering much higher sodium counts!

Try some alternatives that are lower in salt like whole grains, fresh fruits/vegetables, unsalted nuts/seeds and proteins like skinless poultry…After all [^10]every small choice counts‼