Americans seem to like a piddling food with theirsalt– on mediocre , we each consume almost 3,500 mg ( mg ) of sodium every day . Let ’s put that into context : The American Heart Association urge we consume no more than 1 teaspoon of salt a day , which equals 2,300 mg of Na or less . The recommendation drops to 1,500 mg of sodium for masses who have from or are at risk for developing cardiovascular disease . If you ’re looking for way to reduce the amount of Na in your diet , it ’s always better to choose unrefined or minimally processed solid food . For example , consider the tomato .

Tomatoesare pile full of potassium and magnesium , but not atomic number 11 . In fact , they are a great low - atomic number 11 food to add to your diet . But as the tomato becomes more processed , the sodium level change .

One cup of overbold tomato contains about 10 mg of sodium . Turn that tomato into 1 cup of tomato succus or 1 cup of tomato soup , and the sodium content pass over to about 700 atomic number 12 . Even forged ? One cup of store - bought tomato sauce comprise nearly 1,000 mg of atomic number 11 , with heart - healthy versions bringing the tally down to 720 mg per cup .

Surprised ? You ’ll also be surprised at some of the food with depressed ( or no ) sodium . First surprise food : cheese .

What the Label Means

show label is an important part of take what food you bribe and eat . Do n’t let food label mislead you , though . Here ’s what you need to know about sodium contentedness :

[ source : U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ]

5: Swiss Cheese

4: Diet Soda

Whilewateris the best drinkable choice for a low - sodium diet , some diet sodas have depleted or very low Na . Let ’s look at some pop cola brands . For example , 12 fluent ounce ( 360 ml ) of DietCokecontains 40 mg of sodium , and the same amount of Diet Pepsi contains 35 mg of Na .

think , however , that while some diet sodas may be low in Na , they are often high in stilted sweetening and other stilted component , and they are believed to increase our risk of becoming obese and developing type 2 diabetes and other obesity - related illnesses .

3: Potatoes

Before we start mob on the condiments , from butter and sour emollient to chives and salinity , potatoes are really healthy foods . One plain adust potato contains almost the same amount of potassium as a banana tree and offers 45 percent of your recommended dailyvitamin C.

A plain bake murphy also has only about 7 mg of atomic number 11 ( count on its size ) , and if you cut the options at the potato cake , it ’s also afat - free solid food . Be sure you do n’t chuck out the skin , though . Eating the whole potato , pelt and all , impart 2 gramme of fiber to your day-to-day fiber intake , a advocate 30 to 38 grams per day for men and 21 to 28 grams per mean solar day for women .

2: Nuts

There ’s more to a handful of peanuts than a solid crunch . A collation - sizing part ( about 1/3 of a cupful ) of testis is high in protein , carry with unsaturated fats ( these fats are good for you ) and fiber , as well asvitamin E , B vitamins , Fe and Mg – vitamin and minerals will vary from nut to nut .

In accession to their nutritional benefit , testicle and peanuts are also naturally blue - sodium foods . A smattering of unsalted peanut vine , for representative , comes in at less than 5 mg of sodium .

1: Popcorn

A largepopcornbought at the motion picture theater concession counter contains 1,500 mg of sodium , and that ’s without any toppings sum to it . So why is it on our inclination of low - atomic number 11 foods ? leave about movie house popcorn soaked insaltand butter - flavor oil . And forget about many of the microwave oven popcorn choice out there , too ( read the label ): A pocketbook of Pop - Secret ’s classical butter Zea mays everta pack about 1,000 mg of sodium , and other brands tout like numbers .

Zea mays everta , though , when it ’s unsalted and unbuttered , is a healthy whole caryopsis . It ’s naturally a no - sodium food ( less than 5 mg per serving ) , plus it ’s low - fertile and high in character . Pop your own bowl at home where you may control how much or small salinity and vegetable oil you eat .

Low-sodium Foods FAQ

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