Consumer Reports Identifies Foods With Surprisingly High Levels...(480 mg. Some fast-food fare that ...),Health

What Consumers Can Do

In addition to checking food labels for sodium content, Consumer Reports advises consumers to do the following:

• Shop for condiments with no salt added. And consider buying canned vegetables packed with less salt. Avoid meats and poultry that have been marinated or injected with salty solutions.
• Be a salt-conscious chef. Taste before adding salt. Use herbs and spices, salt-free seasoning blends, citrus juice or zest, and flavored vinegars instead of salt. Use sodium-free broth as a base for homemade soup. Replace regular bouillon with a sodium-free product, such as Herb Ox Sodium-Free Instant Broth & Seasoning Chicken Bouillon.
• Eat one serving. A cup of Progresso 50% Less Sodium Chicken Noodle soup has 470 mg of sodium, about half the amount in Progresso Traditional. But if you consume the whole can of the 50% Less Sodium soup, you'll get almost 1,000 mg.
• Avoid sodium heavyweights. Or limit them when possible. Some that we have seen include soy sauce (1,160 mg per tablespoon), chicken bouillon (1,100 mg per packet), frozen dinners (like Stouffer's Lasagna with Meat & Sauce, which has 930 mg per serving), and Spam (790 mg per 2 ounces), as well as cured meats such as bacon, ham, and hot dogs; sardines and smoked salmon; and brined foods, such as pickles and olives.
• Eat at home. A diner can easily consume a day's worth of sodium in a single restaurant dish.
• Check your meds. Some drugs contain sodium. Ask your doctor about yours if you
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