Spice Up Your Life!

1. High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Slideshow
2. Take the Salt Quiz!
3. Lowering Blood Pressure Exercise Tips Pictures

Eat Less Salt and Sodium

• Why should you eat less salt and sodium?
• Tips to eating less salt and sodium - be a smart shopper
• Choose these foods more often
• Choose these foods less often
• Go easy in the kitchen
• Take the lead at the table
• Be in control at the restaurant

Why should you eat less salt and sodium?

You should cut back on salt and sodium in your diet to help prevent or lower high blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure lowering it can reduce your chances of heart disease and stroke.

Did you know....

Table salt is made up of two compounds, sodium and chloride. Most of the sodium in your diet comes from processed foods. The remaining comes from the salt added at the table, and salt added while cooking. Limit the amount of sodium that you consume from all these sources to no more than 2,400 milligrams (mg) each day which is equal to about 1 teaspoon of salt.

Tips to eating less salt and sodium - be a smart shopper

• Read the food label to find out more about what is in the foods you eat. This will help you choose foods to limit the amount of sodium you eat to 2,400 mg each day.
• Size up your food. Compare the amounts you will eat to the serving size given. If you eat 2 cups and the serving size is 1 cup, you have to double the amounts of nutrients and calories listed.
• Read the nutrition information. Use the "Percent Daily Value" to compare the amount of sodium among brands. Choose those foods that have lower values. One serving of this product contains 28 percent, or about 1/4 of the amount of sodium you should have for the entire day.
• Buy foods with these claims more often. The food label may include terms such as:
  • sodium
  • free very low sodium
  • low sodium reduced (or less)
  • sodium
  • light in sodium
  • unsalted