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By Rebecca Lynch, M.S., R.D., L.D.N.
Brigham and Women's Hospital

Types of Salt
Reading Labels
Salt Substitutes
Salt-Free Alternatives

Salt is a mineral that contains sodium. The body needs a small amount of sodium to work properly. But too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure, which is bad for the heart, brain and kidneys.

Americans, on average, eat 4,000 to 5,000 milligrams daily. Most health organizations recommend consuming less than 2,400 milligrams daily.

Types of Salt

Salt enhances the flavor of food. The variety of salt products you can buy goes well beyond traditional table salt. Here are some of the different types of salt and their properties.

Type of salt	Milligrams (mg) of sodium in 1 tsp	Ingredients	Shape/texture
Table	2,325 mg	Refined salt, no minerals	Small cubic crystals
Sea	1,872 mg	Less refined, contains minerals	Large crystals, coarse texture
Salt Sense	1,560 mg	Refined salt, no minerals	Large, light, flake-shaped crystals
Seasoned	1,520 mg	Salt mixed with seasoning	Table salt/seasoning texture
Kosher	1,120 mg	Refined salt, no minerals	Flat, platelet shape crystals
Salt substitute	0 mg	Potassium chloride salts	Similar to table salt

The important difference between the various types of salt is their sodium content. When measured out by the teaspoon, large, coarse salts have less sodium than table salt; however, when measured out by weight, all salts containing sodium have the same sodium content.

Reading Labels

Pay attention to the serving size and the sodium content per serving on food labels. Sodium content is provided in milligrams (mg).

Choose foods that have less than 400 mg per serving.
Choose snacks that have less than 140 mg per serving.
Prepared frozen meals should have less than 700 mg per serving.
Products marked as "low sodium" must contain less than 140 mg per serving.
Other products may claim to have 25-50% less sodium than usual.
Some "reduced sodium" foods may still contain unhealthy amounts of sodium.

Watch out for these high sodium seasonings:

Soy sauce
Ketchup
Worcestershire sauce
Garlic salt
Onion salt
Celery salt
Tabasco sauce
Oyster sauce
Fish sauce
Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
Bouillon

Salt Substitutes

For some people, salt substitutes or "low sodium" foods may contain potassium salts that can cause serious health problems like irregular heart beats. Ask your doctor or your dietitian if you need to limit your potassium intake.

Salt-Free Alternatives

Try flavoring meat, fish and poultry with herbs and spices like oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, curry or dill. For vegetables, try fresh squeezed lemon juice, basil, oregano or rosemary. Fruit tastes great with a little ginger or cinnamon spice. Look for blends of spices without the salt to add flavor to any dish.

The keys to following a low-sodium, heart-healthy diet include:

Choosing fresh fruits and vegetables
Avoiding prepackaged meals
Limiting salty snacks
Avoiding high sodium luncheon meats
Using fresh herbs and spices for flavoring
Looking for low sodium alternatives of your favorite foods
Avoiding sauces and gravies when eating out
Asking for food to be prepared without salt

And, finally: Get rid of the salt shaker!

Rebecca Lynch, M.S., R.D., L.D.N., is a clinical dietician at Brigham and Women's Hospital

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