SALT SHOCKER

What SALT Does Sodium plays an important role in maintaining the body's fluid balance Essential for muscles and nerves to function properly. Most of us consume too much of it. FDA guidelines call for less than 2,400 mg of sodium per day -- about 1 teaspoon of table salt.

Frozen Foods Quick and easy but loaded with sodium 787 mg of sodium Turkey dinner Surprisingly, most of our salt intake doesn’t come from the salt shaker; it’s hidden in many of the foods we buy at the grocery store. Where does all the sodium in our diet come from?

Ready To EAT Cereals 342 mg sodium in raisin bran per cup

Veggie drinks are a healthy way to get your 5-a-day, HOWEVER, if you are watching your sodium be careful! One cup of vegetable juice cocktail contains 653 mg of sodium. VEGETABLE DRINKS

Canned veggies are typically loaded with preservatives or sauces and seasonings that add extra sodium. A cup of canned cream-style corn contains 730 mg of sodium. Tips: Rinse vegetables thoroughly, or buy canned ones labeled “no salt added,” and add your own, in moderation. Or check the freezer section where you may have more luck finding an unsalted choice.

“DELI -EMA” Packaged deli meats One look at the sodium content in packaged meats should stop you in your tracks. Beef or pork salami (2 slices) can pack 604 mg of sodium.

It’s a warm comfort food on a cold day, but look out -- soups are typically loaded with sodium. For instance, a cup of chicken noodle soup (canned) contains as much as 1,106 mg of sodium. Tips: Look for reduced-sodium versions of your favorites. And always check the label -- you might find that one brand’s “Healthy” version actually has less sodium than the “25% Less Sodium” variety. Soup's ON

Notoriously high-sodium offenders include Teriyaki sauce (1 tablespoon) which contains 690 mg of sodium, and soy sauce (1 tablespoon), which may contain up to 1,000 mg of sodium. Tips: Even “lower-sodium” soy sauce packs a wallop, so use sparingly. Go for vinegar and lemon juice to enhance flavor -- they naturally have less sodium. And try orange or pineapple juice as a base for meat marinades. FLAVORINGS YOU ADD

Saucy Decisions Half a cup of spaghetti sauce may pack 610 mg of sodium -- and that amount barely coats a helping of pasta. Tip: Look for “no salt added” versions of your favorite pasta sauces

Adding spices to an entrée can be an easy way to forgo the salt shaker. Tips: Go for the pepper in its natural form to ditch the sodium used in processing. Or use herbs and sodium-free spices instead.

An ounce of dry-roasted, salted peanuts contains 230 mg of sodium. The same size serving of dry-roasted, salted mixed nuts has 190 mg. AHH NUTS!!! Rethink those salty peanuts! Tips: For about the same amount of calories, an ounce of oil-roasted, salted peanuts rings in at only 91 mg of sodium. Or better yet, buy the unsalted variety, which are practically sodium- free

These snack-time favorites are always a safe bet for high salt content. Here’s how a 1 oz serving compares. Potato chips = 149 mg Cheese puffs = 258 mg Pretzels = 385 mg Tip: Even “baked” or fat-free snacks can pack the same amount of sodium or more, so read the label.

Foods such as rice, potatoes, and pasta in their natural forms are naturally low in sodium. But once you grab the convenient ‘all-in-one’ box and add the flavor packet, you may end up eating more than half of your daily allowance of sodium in just one serving. Tips: Skip the packaged rice, and choose a plain, fast- cooking variety; then add your own seasonings.

If you think those little extras you add to your food don’t count, think again. Ketchup (1 tbsp) = 178 mg Sweet relish (1 tbsp) = 121mg Tip: Go for low-sodium or sodium-free condiments. Or get creative with your substitutions: Try cranberry relish or apple butter for a naturally lower sodium choice.

Sodium-free: Less than 5 mg of sodium per serving Very low-sodium: 35 mg or less per serving Low-sodium: Less than 140 mg per serving Reduced sodium: Sodium level reduced by 25% Unsalted, no salt added, or without added salt: Made without the salt that's normally used, but still contains the sodium that's a natural part of the food itself. Understand Labeling Jargon !

Don’t just look for the word “salt.” Watch out for various forms of sodium : sodium alginate sodium ascorbate sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) sodium benzoate sodium caseinate sodium chloride sodium citrate sodium hydroxide sodium saccharin sodium stearoyl lactylate sodium sulfite disodium phosphate monosodium glutamate (MSG) trisodium phosphate Na Checking the Ingredient panel