Healthy Foods with High Sodium
By Sara Butler
Many Americans get more sodium than recommended. A healthy adult should get no more than 2,300 milligrams per day, but most people surpass that number without even realizing it. The reason you eat so much more sodium than you know is that it’s lurking in some pretty unexpected places. Even foods considered healthy can be loaded with sodium. Here are a few of the foods that could be sneaking sodium into your diet.
Bread
Believe it or not, some of the most sodium-rich foods in your diet are pastries and bread. The average small bagel (not the mammoth ones you get at the bakery) have about 450 milligrams in them. Pastries will deliver even more!
What can you do about it? Make sure to check the nutrition labels of loaves of bread and pastries, keeping an eye on portion sizes when you do eat them. The nutritional profile can vary wildly among different brands, so don’t assume they’re all alike. Opt for whole grain products when you can with no more than 170 to 200 milligrams of sodium per slice.
Condiments
Condiments, especially tomato-based ones, can be very high in sodium. In fact, just two tablespoons of the average brand of ketchup has about 300 milligrams of sodium. That on top of a burger and french fries can make for a sodium-laden meal you may not have anticipated! Spaghetti sauces follow this trend too – and just think about how much of that you put on your pasta.
You don’t have to give up your tomato-based condiments for life, but you should keep an eye on your serving size. Use a teaspoon instead of a tablespoon or opt for fresh tomato on the burger instead of ketchup. With your pasta, try some fresh tomatoes with garlic, basil, and olive oil. You may like it more than jarred spaghetti sauce anyway!
Cottage Cheese
Nothing says “diet food” like cottage cheese! It’s considered to be a healthy food, but did you know it’s usually packed with sodium? One cup of cottage cheese can have upwards of 1,000 milligrams of sodium!
If you love the creaminess of cottage cheese but want to ditch the sodium, then go for Greek yogurt. It has about 100 milligrams of sodium per cup, which is a much easier number to swallow!
Don't get more salt than you think you are. Make sure to check the nutrition labels on the foods you eat!
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