How to avoid the health risks of too much salt

How much is too much?

So what's the controversy about? It centers on how much salt is safe for consumption, and it's still being debated. The American Heart Association recommends a limit of 1,500 milligrams (mg) per day. The FDA recommends a limit of 2,300 mg of sodium per day. The U.S. Dietary guidelines used to recommend a limit of 1,500 mg per day for a wide swath of people (everyone 51 and older, all African Americans, and anyone with high blood pressure, kidney disease, or diabetes), but this year changed it to 1,500 mg per day only for people with high blood pressure, and 2,300 mg for everyone else.

What you should do

It's best to avoid processed food. Choose fresh, frozen (no sauce or seasoning), or no-salt-added canned vegetables, and opt for fresh poultry, seafood, and lean meat, rather than processed meat and poultry.

Krivitsky recommends limiting sodium to 500 or 600 mg per meal, and making sure it comes from healthy sources, like whole-grain breads and cereals.

How can you find out about sodium content? Start reading Nutrition Facts labels. You really can find low-sodium options. For example, one cup of Post Shredded Wheat has no sodium, and half a cup of Prego No Salt Added pasta sauce has just 40 mg of sodium.

Krivitsky also recommends ditching saltshakers and flavoring food instead with spices, such as cumin, rosemary, basil, ginger, or dill; flavored vinegars; and lime or lemon juice. "Low salt doesn't mean less flavor," points out Krivitsky. "It just means less salt."