American Heart Association sodium recommendations
Sodium equivalents
Sodium in foods
Sodium compounds to avoid
The D.A.S.H Eating Plan
Eating out with low sodium
Sodium in medications
What the American Heart Association is doing to help

AHA sodium recommendations
Aim to eat less than 2,300 mg of salt per day. Some people — African Americans, middle-aged and older adults, and people with high blood pressure — need less than 1,500 mg per day.

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Sodium equivalents

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Sodium in foods
Most foods in their natural state contain some sodium. Be aware of natural sodium content when you choose foods to lower your sodium intake.

But Americans consume up to 75 percent of their sodium from processed foods like tomato sauce, soups, condiments, canned foods and prepared mixes.  When buying prepared and prepackaged foods, read the labels. Many different sodium compounds are added to foods. These are listed on food labels. Watch for the words "soda" and "sodium" and the symbol "Na" on labels — these words show that sodium compounds are present.

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Sodium compounds to avoid

• Salt (sodium chloride) — Used in cooking or at the table; used in canning and preserving.
• Monosodium glutamate (also called MSG) — A seasoning used in home, restaurant and hotel cooking and in many packaged, canned and frozen foods.
• Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) — Sometimes used to leaven breads and cakes; sometimes added to vegetables in cooking; used as alkalizer for indigestion.
• Baking powder — Used to leaven quick breads and cakes.
• Disodium phosphate — Found in some quick-cooking cereals and processed cheeses.
• Sodium alginate — Used in many chocolate milks and ice creams to make a smooth mixture.
• Sodium benzoate — Used as a preservative in many condiments such as relishes, sauces and salad dressings.
• Sodium hydroxide — Used in food processing to soften and loosen skins of ripe olives and certain fruits and vegetables.
• Sodium nitrite — Used in cured meats and sausages.
• Sodium propionate — Used in pasteurized cheese and in some breads and cakes to inhibit growth of molds.
• Sodium sulfite — Used to bleach certain fruits such as maraschino cherries and glazed or crystallized fruits that are to be artificially colored; also used as a preservative in some dried fruits such as prunes.

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The D.A.S.H Eating Plan
"D.A.S.H" stands for "Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension."  This eating plan is based on a delicious and varied diet that's rich in vegetables and fruits, with whole grains, high-fiber foods, lean meats and poultry, fish at least twice a week, and  fat-free or 1 percent fat dairy products.  Get the details on the D.A.S.H eating plan. This link is provided for convenience only, and is not an endorsement or assurance of the entity or any product or service.

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Eating out with low sodium
Americans are eating more meals away from home than ever before. Controlling your sodium intake doesn't need to spoil the pleasure of a restaurant meal, but order selectively. Consider these tips for meals away from home:

• Don’t use the salt shaker. Use the pepper shaker or mill.
• Be familiar with low-sodium foods and look for them on restaurant menus.
• When you order, be specific about what you want and how you want your food prepared. Request that your dish be prepared without salt.
• Add fresh lemon juice to fish and vegetables instead of salt.

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Look for the sodium content in medications

• Over-the-counter drugs: Some over-the-counter drugs contain lots of sodium. Make a habit of carefully reading the labels of all over-the-counter drugs. Look at the ingredients list and warning statements to see if sodium is listed. A statement of sodium content must appear on labels of antacids containing 5 milligrams or more per dosage unit (tablet, teaspoon). Some companies produce low-sodium over-the-counter products. If in doubt, ask your physician or pharmacist if the drug is OK for you.

• Prescription drugs: Consumers can’t know whether a prescription drug contains sodium. If you have high blood pressure, ask your physician or pharmacist about the sodium content of prescription drugs. NEVER stop taking your medication without checking with your doctor.

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AHA efforts to reduce sodium in the food supply
The average American consumes an average of 3,436 mg sodium daily. Many experts now believe that lowering daily consumption to no more than 1,500 mg of sodium daily would be an effective way to lower high blood pressure and prevent its onset. However, the amount of sodium and salt used in the U.S. food supply makes this goal difficult to achieve for most Americans.

The American Heart Association is working with federal agencies to identify strategies to reduce the amount of sodium in the food supply and is encouraging food manufacturers and restaurants to reduce the amount of sodium in foods by 50 percent over a 10 year period.

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This content is reviewed regularly. Last updated 04/07/09.