It’s hard to avoid – but eating a lot of salt can contribute to high blood pressure. Reducing the salt in your food is an important part of a heart-healthy diet. The American Heart Association recommends that healthy adults eat less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day, which is about 1 teaspoon.
Salt is added to many foods that are canned, processed, frozen and prepared. Snacks, chips, crackers, soups, frozen dinners all add salt to improve flavor.
The best way to reduce salt intake is to eat fresh foods and make your own soups. Another way is to replace salt with salt substitutes, herbs and spices or choose reduced-salt condiments or prepared/processed foods.