Your doctor has given you a stern warning – cut down the sodium in your diet! So you start adding just a pinch of salt to your vegetables at dinner time. You think you’ve cut the sodium in your diet in ½ right?

Wrong!

Unbeknownst to you, the processed foods in your diet contribute a whopping 77 percent more sodium to your daily diet – and that’s even before you added that pinch of salt!

True, your body does require a certain amount of sodium to function properly. Essential sodium maintains the fluid levels in your body by replacing vital electrolytes after you sweat them out during rigorous activity. It also helps muscles relax and contract, and it aids kidney function. However, when you consume too much sodium, the body begins to store it in your bloodstream, making your heart and kidneys work harder – which can eventually result in kidney or heart disease.

According to the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine, sodium levels, for an average healthy adult, should not exceed 1,500 to 2,400 milligrams per day – less if you are over 50-years of age, or if you have diabetes or an existing heart or kidney condition.

Keep your eyes peeled for the following sodium-rich culprits:

• Processed foods – such as crackers, chips, pickles, canned vegetables and soup, lunch meats and
• Condiments – such as margarine, butter, mayonnaise ketchup, pasta sauces, soy sauces and dressings.
• Meats – especially red meats and meats like bacon and ham tend to be higher in sodium.

So how do you cut the sodium in your diet? Consume a diet largely made up of fresh foods.