Most of the salt in your diet comes from these 25 foods
25. Rice — Although rice on its own is naturally low in salt, most of us add more than a pinch when we cook it, and the CDC says this is largely to blame for its place on the list.
24. Cakes and pies — Typically eaten to satisfy a sweet craving, pre-made cakes and pies can contain a pretty surprising amount of sodium. A slice of cherry pie packs more than 300 mg of sodium or about 14% of the USDA's daily recommended allowance.
Source: CalorieKing
23. Other vegetables and combinations — Like rice, veggies are naturally low in salt, but a lot of us like to add seasonings (which often list salt as their first ingredient) or soy sauce when we grill or stir-fry them.
22. French fries and other fried white potatoes — We expected this one to rank higher on the list, but most of the salt on fries is added at the table.
21. Ready-to-eat cereal — The sodium content of cereal varies widely: A serving of Post Grape Nuts packs 290 mg of sodium, while Quaker Shredded Wheat has just 3 mg. But Americans seem to prefer the saltier varieties.
Source: CalorieKing
20. Mashed potatoes and white potato mixtures — Potatoes themselves are not the enemy here, but pre-packaged mixtures and salt added during cooking can ramp up the salt content of your favorite Thanksgiving side dish.
19. Fish — While it's naturally low in salt, fish that's been smoked or cured can contain high amounts of sodium. Sardines, caviar, and anchovies in particular tend to pack a lot.
18. All plain milk — This one might come as a surprise, but milk contains quite a bit of natural sodium: A cup of low-fat milk has about 100 mg.
17. Poultry mixed dishes
16. Other Mexican mixed dishes
15. Salad dressings and vegetable oils
14. Tomato-based condiments like ketchup and marinara sauce
13. Bacon, frankfurters, and sausages — Sorry, bacon lovers. Smoked and cured meats are very high in sodium, with 5 bacon slices containing nearly 1,000 mg of sodium (close to half your daily recommended allowance).
Source: NutritionData
12. Pasta mixed dishes (excluding mac-n-cheese)
11. Meat mixed dishes
10. Eggs and omelets
9. Cheese
8. Chicken, whole pieces
7. Savory snacks including chips, popcorn, pretzels, snack mixes, and crackers
6. Burritos and tacos — This food category was a new addition to the CDC's ranking, having been previously lumped in with "mixed Mexican dishes." It appears to be a pretty hefty contributor to our overall sodium intake.
5. Soups — Many soups can be low in calories and still contain high amounts of salt. A cup of Campbell’s Old Fashioned Vegetable Soup has just 160 calories but 920 mg of sodium.
Source: Health
4. Cold cuts and cured meats — Curing and smoking adds a hefty amount of salt to meat. A package of pastrami packs 765 mg of sodium.
3. Sandwiches including burgers, chicken/turkey sandwiches, and egg/breakfast sandwiches
2. Pizza
1. Bread, including rolls, buns, bagels, and English muffins — Bread isn't sky-high in salt, but we tend to eat a lot of it — whether on sandwiches, as an appetizer, or alongside soups and stews — so the sodium adds up.
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