You may be surprised at the sources of sodium in your diet. Although a teaspoon and a half of salt contains about 3,400 milligrams of sodium-the average US adults daily intake, by some estimates-most dietary sodium doesnt come from your salt shaker. In fact, according to a 2012 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study, the number-one source of sodium in the US diet is bread.
Heres a quick look at what the CDC listed as the top-10 contributors to dietary sodium intake. For details and more ideas on avoiding hidden sodium, see our May 2012 Special Report.
1. Bread and rolls (7.4% of the sodium in the typical US diet)-While bread is only modestly high in sodium per slice, were a nation of bread lovers and it all adds up. Sodium content does differ, however, even just by the size of the slice. Check the label and dont assume that bread marketed as healthy or natural is necessarily low-sodium.
2. Cold cuts and cured meats (5.1%)-Shop for low-salt varieties, or slice leftovers like roast turkey to make your own.
3. Pizza (4.9%)-Cheese, pepperoni, sauce and even pizza crust are high in sodium, and one pizza can exceed 6,000 milligrams. Making your own lets you control the ingredients and sodium levels.
4. Fresh and processed poultry (4.5%)-Blame fast-food chicken, sauces, breading and enhanced poultry plumped up with a salt solution.
5. Soups (4.3%)-Home cooking can help here, too, as even low-salt canned varieties often have more than if made from scratch.
6. Sandwiches and burgers (4.0%)-Bread (#1) plus cold cuts (#2) plus cheese (#7, below) equals oodles of sodium. If youre grabbing lunch on the go, a plain, no-cheese hamburger is often your lowest-sodium choice.
7. Cheese (3.8%)-Opt for reduced-sodium cheese and varieties naturally lower in sodium like Swiss, Monterey jack, Colby and cheddar. Watch out for Parmesan, feta and bleu cheeses.
8. Pasta mixed dishes (3.3%)-Processed or packaged entres and restaurant dishes are the worst culprits here, with a single serving of restaurant lasagna easily adding up to a days worth of sodium.
9. Meat mixed dishes (3.2%)-Cook it yourself to control the sodium, and be especially wary of takeout or freezer-case meat meals.
10. Savory snacks (3.1%)-Though surprisingly low at #10, chips, crackers, pretzels and even otherwise-healthy nuts