Americans ingest too much salt and it’s threatening our health. So how do we cut down? Salt is ingrained in our habit energy around eating and we must consciously form new healthy patterns.

There are many healthy and delicious ways to cut back on salt.  Check out Harvard School of Public Health’s website, The Nutrition Source, for 25 ways to keep the flavor and cut the salt.

The site offers recommendations for low sodium foods, guidance on how to retrain your taste buds, ideas for salt-free spice alternatives...

What are your favorite high flavor, low-salt dishes and snacks?

When you cook, be mindful of the amount of salt you habitually use, and strive to use less. Don’t keep the salt shaker near the stove top, or on the table. Add lemon, herbs and other savory ingredients like mushrooms and tomatoes to enhance  the flavor of all that you cook.

In the U.S., the top 10 sources of sodium are:

• Meat pizza
• White bread
• Processed cheese
• Hot dogs
• Spaghetti with sauce
• Ham
• Catsup
• Cooked rice
• White rolls
• Flour tortillas

So when you are purchasing these and other processed foods in the supermarket, read the Nutrition Facts label and compare different products—different loaves of bread or different jars of spaghetti sauce--to find the ones that are lowest in sodium. 

Photo by Suat Eman from FreeDigitalPhotos.net