The Hidden Salt

Many of us are consuming way too much sodium. To make things worse, 'hidden' sodium can lurk in many seemingly healthy foods. To spot these high-sodium culprits, read food labels carefully: Look at both the amount of sodium per serving and the recommended daily sodium allowance percentage.

Here's a list of ten unexpected salt mines:

1. Breakfast cereals

 

Ready-to-eat cereals may seem like a healthy breakfast option but some brands can pack as much as 300mg of sodium per cup.

2. Instant puddings

 

High-sodium foods don't even have to taste salty! You'll be surprised how much sodium is in some sweet snacks and desserts. Instant puddings, for instance, have 400 mg sodium per 1/2-cup serving.

3. "Diet" ready meals

 

Don't be fooled by ready-to-eat or frozen meals that are marketed as "low-calorie" or "low-fat". Many of these make up for this through high amounts of sodium (and sometimes sugar) instead. Depending on your choice of ready meal, some can have as much salt as 8 bags of snack-size potato chips!

4. Canned tuna

 

Tuna is often touted as a healthy source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. But if you are going for the canned variety, you're also taking in about 400 mg of sodium per 100-gram serving.

5. Canned vegetables

 

You can't go wrong with vegetables, right? Wrong. Canned veggies are typically laden with sauces and seasonings -- a cup can mean up to 730 mg of sodium. Look for "no salt added" option or stick to fresh vegetables instead.

6. Breads and rolls

 

A single slice of white bread can contain as much as 230 milligrams of salt. Although this may not sound like much, it can quickly add up if you eat several servings throughout the day.

7. Packaged poultry

 

Sodium levels in poultry can vary based on preparation methods. Packaged raw chicken often contains an added salt solution that dramatically increases the amount of sodium in the meat. A 100-gram serving can pack 440mg sodium.

8. Vegetable juice

 

Even something as healthy as tomato juice can be laden with sodium -- up to 878 mg per cup! You're better off preparing your own fresh vegetable juice -- one medium tomato has just 10 mg sodium.

9. Salad dressings

 

Go easy on salad dressings. It's not just fat that you need to worry about -- sodium is another issue. Just one tablespoon of prepared salad dressing can contain up to 250mg of sodium. Another seemingly innocent condiment to watch out for: Ketchup, which can pack more than 150 mg sodium per tablespoon.

 

10. Canned soup

 

One cup of commercial canned soup can contain a whooping 1000 mg of sodium! Prepare your own soups at home, where you have control over the amount of salt you add.