The Heart Foundation recommends eating no more than five grams of salt a day (2,000 mg sodium)—about one teaspoon. It’s a number that’s easy to soar past if you’re picking at a grazing platter full of crackers, salted nuts, and tasty dips. So how can you eat healthily and still enjoy your food? We asked Sanitarium dietitian Trish Guy to share her top four tips:
1. spice it up
If you tend to reach for the saltshaker to flavor your meals, consider herbs and spices instead. Such flavors as nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger are great to give your dishes a nostalgic, tasty spin, and herbs such as rosemary, sage, or thyme pair well with most festive meals.
2. add more veggies
Enjoying fresh fruit and vegetables is an easy way to help skip the salt. Most vegetables offer bold flavors, so you can get creative with your serving ideas.
Mushrooms, in particular, are a great option as they contain glutamates—a natural food chemical that enhances the savory, brothy taste of foods. The humble mushroom is also naturally low in salt and high in several B vitamins.
3. DIY dips
Store-bought dips are often loaded with sodium, so making your own can offer taste and freshness and allow other flavors to shine while skipping the salt overload. Most dips can also be made in advance using such cost-effective ingredients as canned chickpeas, saving you valuable time and money.
4. make friends with food labels
To find foods that are lower in salt, check the sodium line on the nutrition information panel. Aim for foods that have less than 400 mg sodium per 100 g. Better still, go for foods labeled “low sodium,” which are less than 120 mg per 100 g. Many brands provide low-sodium or no-added-salt varieties. Party foods such as crackers, chips, nuts, and cheeses can often be found in low-sodium options.
If you’re after some tasty meal ideas that are big on flavor and low in salt, check out our full collection of dietitian-approved recipes online.
Article courtesy of Sanitarium Health Food Company. For more information and heart-healthy recipes, visit sanitarium.com.au.
