Monitoring your daily sodium intake can have major health benefits—including reducing your risk of a heart attack and lowering your blood pressure. Sodium is hiding in many foods, so step one is to avoid adding salt while cooking. However, more than 70% of the sodium we eat comes from packaged and restaurant foods. Consider these ways to decrease your salt intake:

• Limit meals out or order low-sodium food options that are steamed, baked, grilled, poached or roasted.
• Choose low-sodium or “no salt added” varieties of deli meats, canned soups, pasta sauce, beans and vegetables.
• Go easy on the condiments, or select a reduced sodium version. Ketchup, barbecue sauce, mustard, hot sauce, soy sauce and salad dressing are generally loaded with sodium.

If you have any questions about your diet, talk to your doctor.