How to Cut Salt from Pantry Foods

Many pantry foods are tasty, but full of unnecessary salt. According to the American Heart Association, adults should limit their sodium intake to 1500 mg per day, and not exceed 2300 mg.^[1] However, most Americans get around 3400 mg of sodium per day.^[2] Many people want to reduce the amount of sodium in their diets, whether it’s for medical or health reasons. To cut salt from your pantry items, you should buy items with reduced sodium, read the labels, and reduce your processed food intake.

EditSteps

EditChoosing Reduced Sodium Foods

1. Look for “no salt added” canned vegetables. Canned vegetables are generally high in sodium. To cut the salt from these, buy canned vegetables that say “no salt added” on the label. That ensures you are getting the vegetable without added salt.^[3]
   
   • If you want a little bit of salt to taste, you can add a small amount of salt when you put the food on the plate.
   • Consider cooking your vegetables with spices and herbs to eliminate the need for added salt. For example, try adding rosemary and thyme to green beans or ginger and sage to carrots.
2. Buy sodium-free sauces. Many sauces, such as pasta sauces, have a lot of added sodium. Most brands offer a sodium free option. If you can’t find sodium free, you may find a reduced sodium option.^[4]
   
   • Make sure to check the serving size. Reduced sodium varieties may not be low in sodium if the serving size is smaller than what you would eat.
3. Choose dry beans. Canned beans are full of unnecessary salt. However, beans are a really healthy food. To get away from this, try dried beans. This will give you the benefits without added sodium.^[5]
   
   • Dried beans take longer to cook, so cook enough for multiple servings for the week.
4. Buy whole grains. Many grain items may be full of sodium and other unhealthy additives, especially if you buy flavored varieties. Replace these sodium-heavy versions with plain, whole grains that are relatively salt free.^[6]
   
   • For example, instant oatmeal not only contains added sodium, but sugar as well. Plain, steel cut oats are a healthier option.
   • When buying cereal, look for brands that have whole grains as the first ingredient. Make sure to buy a brand with a low sodium content.
   • Try whole grain pasta, brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, and bulgur.
5. Use caution with condiments. Condiments are pantry staples, but they can be loaded with salt. Read the labels carefully and compare brands and types before buying. If available, get a reduced sodium, low-sodium, or no-sodium added variety.^[7]
   
   • Condiments may include ketchup, mustard, dressing, olives, pickles, relish, dips, and soy sauce.
   • Consider leaving the condiments off your food completely.

EditFinding Low-Sodium Snacks

1. Choose plain popcorn. Popcorn can be a healthy snack, but many prepackaged versions contain large amounts of added salt. Instead of movie theater butter or salted popcorn, choice plain microwavable bags. You can buy the plain kernels and pop them in an air popper for even fresher popcorn.^[8]
   
   • If you want to add some flavor, consider sprinkling cinnamon over it for something sweet or adding a dash of garlic or seasoning salt.
2. Buy plain unsalted nuts. Nuts are a delicious, healthy snack and a common pantry item. However, many nuts are covered in salt. Replace your salted peanuts, almonds, and mixed nuts with unsalted varieties. You still get delicious flavor without all the unnecessary salt.^[9]
   
3. Avoid chips. Chips contain high levels of sodium. To cut salt from your pantry, find an alternative to potato and corn chips. Try finding a low-sodium cracker or try cucumbers and carrots for a crunchy snack instead. Look for a chip or cracker that contains less than 200 mg of sodium per serving.^[10]
   
   • Some brands carry reduced sodium or no salt added chips. Read the label and decide if the sodium content is low enough to be a healthy swap.
   • If you are basing the sodium content on the serving size, make sure to eat one serving. Measure it out. It is easy to go over the serving size and eat too much sodium.

EditChanging Your Food Habits

1. Read the labels. If you are trying to cut salt from your foods, you should read the labels. Reading the ingredients and the sodium content can help you make smarter choices. Sometimes, different brands have higher sodium content, so you can choose a brand with lower sodium per serving.^[11]
   
   • When choosing foods, go for foods that have low sodium contents. Avoid foods that contain high levels.
   • Shoot for less than 200 mg or lower per serving if possible.^[12]
2. Get rid of processed foods in your pantry. Sodium is found in high amounts in most processed foods. Many people fill their pantries with processed food, so if you’re trying to cut the salt, consider getting rid of the processed food in your pantry. If you still want to use processed food, check the sodium content to choose lower sodium options.^[13]
   
   • Processed food that contains added sodium includes chips, canned soups, bread, broth and stock, snack cakes, cookies, pastries, cereals, and juice.
3. Be careful with low fat foods. Many reduced fat or fat free foods are full of sodium. This happens because adding sodium helps add flavor to a low fat food. Read the ingredients and check the sodium content to make sure you’re not accidentally getting a salt-heavy food.^[14]
   
4. Switch from pantry items to fresh items. Pantry items are generally processed because they are meant to last for longer periods of time. Though you can get reduced sodium versions of many foods, they may still contain sodium. Consider buying fresh, whole foods instead of boxed, processed foods.^[15]
   
   • For example, buy fresh vegetables instead of canned, or try no sodium added frozen ones.
   • Make your own cakes, cookies, and other desserts from scratch. You can leave out the added salt when you bake them yourself.
   • Make your own sauces. For example, pasta sauce can have a high salt content, but if you make your own from fresh tomatoes, you can eliminate the salt.

EditSources and Citations

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