Salt

Because it is rich in fruits and vegetables, which are naturally lower in sodium than many other foods, the DASH eating plan makes it easier to consume less salt and sodium. Still, you may want to begin by adopting the DASH eating plan at the level of 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day and then further lower your sodium intake to
1,500 milligrams per day.

The DASH eating plan also emphasizes potassium from food, especially fruits and vegetables, to help keep blood pressure levels healthy. A potassium-rich diet may help to reduce elevated or high blood pressure, but be sure to get your potassium from food sources, not from supplements. Many fruits and vegetables, some
milk products, and fish are rich sources of potassium.  However, fruits and vegetables are rich in the form of
potassium (potassium with bicarbonate precursors) that favorably affects acid-base metabolism. This form of potassium may help to reduce risk of kidney stones and bone loss. While salt substitutes containing potassium are sometimes needed by persons on drug therapy for high blood pressure, these supplements can be harmful
to people with certain medical conditions. Ask your doctor before trying salt substitutes or supplements.

Only a small amount of sodium occurs naturally in foods. Most sodium is added during processing. The table below gives examples of sodium in some foods.
Whole and other grains and grain products*                                         Sodium (mg)
Cooked cereal, rice, pasta, unsalted, 1/2 cup                                         0 - 5
Ready-to-eat cereal, 1 cup                                                                    0 - 360
Bread, 1 slice                                                                                        110 - 175

Vegetables
Fresh or frozen, cooked without salt, 1/2 cup                                         1 - 70
Canned or frozen with sauce, 1/2 cup                                                     140 -460
Tomato juice, canned, 1/2 cup                                                                330

Fruit
Fresh, frozen, canned, 1/2 cup                                                                0 - 5

Low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products
Milk, 1 cup                                                                                            107
Yogurt, 1 cup                                                                                         175
Natural cheeses, 11/2 oz                                                                         110 - 450
Process cheeses, 2 oz                                                                              600

Nuts, seeds, and legumes
Peanuts, salted, 1/3 cup                                                                           120
Peanuts, unsalted, 1/3 cup                                                                        0 - 5
Beans, cooked from dried or frozen, without                                      
salt, 1/2 cup                                                                                             0 - 5
Beans, canned, 1/2 cup                                                                            400

Lean meats, fish, and poultry
Fresh meat, fish, poultry, 3 oz                                                                   30 - 90
Tuna canned, water pack, no salt added, 3 oz                                           35 - 45
Tuna canned, water pack, 3 oz                                                                  230 - 350
Ham, lean, roasted, 3 oz                                                                            1,020

* Whole grains are recommended for most grain servings.

● Choose low- or reduced-sodium, or no-salt-added versions of foods and condiments when available.
● Choose fresh, frozen, or canned (low-sodium or no-salt-added) vegetables.
● Use fresh poultry, fish, and lean meat, rather than canned, smoked, or processed types.
● Choose ready-to-eat breakfast cereals that are lower in sodium.
● Limit cured foods (such as bacon and ham); foods packed in brine (such as pickles, pickled vegetables, olives, and sauerkraut); and condiments (such as mustard, horseradish, ketchup, and barbecue sauce). Limit even lower sodium versions of soy sauce and teriyaki sauce. Treat these condiments sparingly as you do table salt.
● Cook rice, pasta, and hot cereals without salt. Cut back on instant or flavored rice, pasta, and cereal mixes, which usually have added salt.
● Choose “convenience” foods that are lower in sodium. Cut back on frozen dinners, mixed dishes such as pizza, packaged mixes, canned soups or broths, and salad dressings—these often have a lot of sodium.
● Rinse canned foods, such as tuna and canned beans, to remove some of the sodium.
● Use spices instead of salt. In cooking and at the table, flavor foods with herbs, spices, lemon, lime, vinegar, or salt-free seasoning blends. Start by cutting salt in half.

Reducing Salt and Sodium When Eating Out
● Ask how foods are prepared. Ask that they be prepared without added salt, MSG, or salt-containing ingredients. Most restaurants are willing to accommodate requests.
● Know the terms that indicate high sodium content: pickled, cured, smoked, soy sauce, broth.
● Move the salt shaker away.
● Limit condiments, such as mustard, ketchup, pickles, and sauces with salt-containing ingredients.
● Choose fruit or vegetables, instead of salty snack foods.

Compare Nutrition Facts Labels on Foods Read the Nutrition Facts labels on foods to compare the amount of sodium in products. Look for the sodium content in milligrams and the Percent Daily Value. Aim for foods that are less than 5 percent of the Daily Value of sodium. Foods with 20 percent or more Daily Value of
sodium are considered high. You can also check out the amounts of the other DASH goal nutrients.
Compare the food labels of these two versions of canned tomatoes. The regular canned tomatoes (right) have 15 times as much sodium as the low-sodium canned tomatoes.

Low-Sodium Canned Diced Tomatoes

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1/2 cup (130g)
Servings Per Container 31/2
Amount Per Serving
Calories 25 Calories from Fat 0
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 10mg 1%
Potassium 270mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 3g
Protein 1g
Vitamin A 5% Vitamin C 30%
Calcium 4% Iron 4%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie

Canned Diced Tomatoes

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1/2 cup (130g)
Servings Per Container 31/2
Amount Per Serving
Calories 25 Calories from Fat 0
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 150mg 6%
Potassium 230mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 3g
Protein 1g
Vitamin A 5% Vitamin C 20%
Calcium 4% Iron 6%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Food labels can help you choose items lower in sodium, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and calories and higher in potassium and calcium. Look for the following label information on cans, boxes, bottles, bags, and other packaging:

Sodium free or salt free                              Less than 5 mg per serving
Very low sodium                                        35 mg or less of sodium per serving
Low sodium                                              140 mg or less of sodium per serving
Low-sodium meal                                      140 mg or less of sodium per 31/2 oz (100 g)
Reduced or less sodium                              At least 25 percent less sodium than the regular version

Light in sodium                                           50 percent less sodium than the regular version
                                 
Unsalted or no salt added                            No salt added to the product during 
                                                                        processing (this is not a sodium-free food)
                     
Fat
Fat-free                                                       Less than 0.5 g per serving                                                  
Low saturated fat                                        1 g or less per serving and 15% or less of calories from sat. fat
Low-fat                                                      3 g or less per serving

Reduced fat                                                At least 25 percent less fat than the regular version

Light in fat                                                  Half the fat compared to the regular version