How to Decrease Sodium Levels
Buy fresh meats, fruits, and vegetables., Cook with seasonings that do not contain salt., Avoid adding salt when cooking rice or pasta.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Buy fresh meats
While pre-packaged or frozen meats, fruits, and vegetables often contain a lot of sodium, fresh items will contain much less.
Shop for fresh produce, or opt to buy frozen fruits and vegetables that are labeled "flash frozen"
meaning that they will not contain seasonings or preservatives.
Buy fresh cuts of meat and stay away from processed meats like bacon or ham., When cooking, choose spices and garnishes that do not contain salt.
For instance, opt for fresh garlic or garlic powder over garlic salt.
Fresh herbs (e.g. rosemary, oregano) can add a lot of flavor to your dishes, as well as ingredients like lemon, vinegar, or onion., While foods like pasta and rice can often use a flavor infusion, you should opt to cook them plain to reduce your sodium levels.
Prepare these foods as usual, skipping the step where you salt the water before boiling it.
It is likely that you will be adding more dynamically flavored foods to these bland items, so extra salt isn't necessary. -
Step 2: fruits
-
Step 3: and vegetables.
-
Step 4: Cook with seasonings that do not contain salt.
-
Step 5: Avoid adding salt when cooking rice or pasta.
Detailed Guide
While pre-packaged or frozen meats, fruits, and vegetables often contain a lot of sodium, fresh items will contain much less.
Shop for fresh produce, or opt to buy frozen fruits and vegetables that are labeled "flash frozen"
meaning that they will not contain seasonings or preservatives.
Buy fresh cuts of meat and stay away from processed meats like bacon or ham., When cooking, choose spices and garnishes that do not contain salt.
For instance, opt for fresh garlic or garlic powder over garlic salt.
Fresh herbs (e.g. rosemary, oregano) can add a lot of flavor to your dishes, as well as ingredients like lemon, vinegar, or onion., While foods like pasta and rice can often use a flavor infusion, you should opt to cook them plain to reduce your sodium levels.
Prepare these foods as usual, skipping the step where you salt the water before boiling it.
It is likely that you will be adding more dynamically flavored foods to these bland items, so extra salt isn't necessary.
About the Author
Mary Murray
Experienced content creator specializing in organization guides and tutorials.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: