Salt (Sodium) Can be Sneaky Infographic

Throughout the day, the average American adult consumes over 3,500 milligrams (mg) of sodium. This is more than 150% the daily sodium intake recommended by the American Heart Association for most healthy adults. The American Heart Association recommends most adults consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day.

Too much sodium can be risky for your health. Because the average American eats so much excess sodium, even cutting back by 1,000 milligrams a day can significantly improve blood pressure and heart health.

To get started, take a close look at the Nutrition Facts label on the side or back of the packages of the foods you commonly eat. The top of the Nutrition Facts label shows the number of servings in the package, followed by the nutritional content of the food per serving. Check out the amount of sodium in one serving. Remember, if you eat double the serving size, then you are eating twice the amount of sodium listed.

Remember, the American Heart Association recommends most adults consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day. With some small changes and swaps, you can take back control of how much sodium you eat.

Here’s how the sodium can add up throughout the day:

Breakfast

Breakfast Tip: Preparing food at home helps you to make healthy choices. For example, you can use low-fat cheese, skip the meat and add vegetables to an egg dish to reduce the amount of sodium you eat.

Option 1:

Fast-food egg, cheese and sausage burrito with a hash brown patty

Total sodium: 1,111 mg

vs.

Option 2:

One large egg, 1/4 cup low-sodium black beans and 2 tablespoons fresh pico de gallo in a medium flour tortilla with 1 cup no-sugar-added mandarin oranges

OR

2 Breakfast Tostadas with 1 cup no-sugar-added mandarin oranges

Total sodium: 463-466 mg

Lunch

Lunch Tips: Choose dishes with sauces, dressings or condiments on the side so you can better control how much sodium you are eating.

Option 1:

1 serving instant noodle soup with 1 frozen vegetable spring

Total sodium: 1,076 mg

vs.

Option 2:

1 cup low-sodium broth with 1 cup soba noodles and 1/2 cup each of frozen unseasoned Asian stir-fry vegetables and edamame

OR

1 serving Thai Chicken Soup with 1/2 cup Asian Coleslaw 

Total sodium: 235-489 mg

Afternoon Snack

Snack tip: Satisfy crunch cravings with low-sodium snack foods, such as unsalted nuts, unsalted popcorn and rice cakes. Aim for snacks containing 140 mg of sodium or less per serving. Or choose crunchy vegetables, such as celery or carrot sticks or bell pepper wedges.  

Option 1:

A small handful of pita crackers with 2 tablespoons spinach artichoke dip

Total sodium: 428 mg

vs.

Option 2:

A small handful of low-sodium whole-wheat crackers with 2 tablespoons almond butter

OR

1 serving of Creamy Spinach Feta Dip with Whole Wheat pita

Total sodium: 127-207 mg

Dinner

Dinner Tip: Look for a variety of salt-free spice blends and other flavorings such as ginger, citrus, vinegar, chilies or fresh herbs such as cilantro, dill and parsley.

Option 1:

1 fillet breaded, fried fish with 1/2 cup canned spinach and 1 cup seasoned rice

Total sodium: 1,435 mg

vs.

Option 2:

1 fillet baked fish with cornmeal breading and 1/2 cup canned no-salt-added spinach and 1 cup wild rice seasoned with your favorite herbs and spices

OR

Baked Cajun Catfish with Collard Greens with 1 cup wild rice seasoned with your favorite herbs and spices

Total sodium: 240-264 mg

Option 1 Daily Total: 4,050 mg sodium

Option 2 Daily Total: 1,065-1,426 mg sodium

View or Download Infographic
Sodium Can be Sneaky (PDF)