Basics Print How to Reduce Sodium in Your Diet Learn how much is too much and sources you might not be aware of Medically reviewed by facebook linkedin Medically reviewed by Richard N. Fogoros, MD on June 25, 2016 Richard N. Fogoros, MD, is a retired professor of medicine and board-certified internal medicine physician and cardiologist. He is Verywell's Senior Medical Advisor. Learn about our Medical Review Board Richard N. Fogoros, MD Written by Written by Shereen Lehman, MS Shereen Lehman, MS, is a healthcare journalist and member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the American Society for Nutrition. Learn about our editorial policy Shereen Lehman, MS Updated on May 31, 2019 Dan Dalton / Getty Images More in Basics Hot Topics Food Safety For many people, consuming too much sodium may contribute to high blood pressure, which is a risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular issues, and it may also lead to fluid retention and bloating. If you're sensitive to sodium, decreasing the amount of added salt and ingredients that contain sodium that you consume may help keep your blood pressure at a healthier level. Intake Guidelines According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015-2020, these groups of people should limit their sodium intake to less than 1,500 milligrams per day: African AmericansPeople with diabetesPeople with high blood pressurePeople with kidney diseaseEveryone over the age of 50 Anyone not included in that large group should stay under 2,300 milligrams per day, which is not easy if you eat any processed foods at all—even some that are otherwise good for you. Look at the Nutrition Facts label for the amount of sodium per serving. The recommended amount of sodium is 2,300 milligrams per day. If you're on a salt-restricted diet, stay under 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day. How Much Sodium Should You Have in Your Diet? Sources of Sodium One teaspoon of salt has about 2,300 milligrams sodium. Just one-quarter teaspoon has 580 milligrams, and a dash of salt has around 150 milligrams. While salt is a primary source, many processed foods are high in sodium, too. Canned foods, frozen meals, cured meats, and many other processed foods contain outrageous amounts of sodium, both from salt used to flavor the foods and food additives and preservatives that contain sodium in various forms. You'll find sodium in most butter or margarine, milk, bread, and other staple foods. Obviously, look for salt on food labels. But also look for these ingredients, which contain sodium: Monosodium glutamateBaking sodaBaking powderDisodium phosphateSodium alginateSodium nitrate or nitrite Strategies for Cutting Back Your body needs some sodium, so you don't want to eliminate it entirely from your diet, although doing so is an almost impossible feat. You can reduce your overall intake with these tips: Read food labels and choose foods that are low in sodium (avoid products that have more than 140 milligrams of sodium per serving). Choose fresh or frozen vegetables rather than canned.Avoid lunch meats and cured meats.Stay away from frozen convenience foods like frozen dinners, pizzas, and snack foods.Buy unsalted nuts and snacks.Eliminate salt from your recipes.Try salt substitutes made with potassium.Seasoning blends can work well, but read the Nutrition Facts labels because they often contain sodium. Foods That Are Surprisingly High in Sodium Can You Rinse It Away? Rinsing canned vegetables and legumes with water can remove some of the sodium. It's difficult to know exactly how much, as studies and sources seem to differ on this. But if you rinse your canned goods for a minute or so, you may be able to reduce the sodium content by 10 percent to 30 percent. If you need to track your sodium grams every day, you're probably better off buying low-sodium canned goods and fresh or frozen vegetables, rather than canned. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Looking to lose weight? Our nutrition guide can help you get on the right track. Sign up and get it free! Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial policy to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Duyff RL, Mount JR, Jones JB. Sodium Reduction in Canned Beans After Draining, Rinsing. Journal of Culinary Science & Technology. 2011;9(2):106-112. doi: 10.1080/15428052.2011.582405. Haytowitz DB. Effect of Draining and Rinsing on the Sodium and Water Soluble Vitamin Content of Canned Vegetables. Nutrient Data Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Beltsville, MD. United States Department of Agriculture and United States Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015-2020. http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/. Gropper SS, Smith JL, Groff JL. Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism. Sixth Edition. Belmont, CA. Wadsworth Publishing Company, 2013. Continue Reading