Learning How to Read Nutrition Labels

Read Nutrition Label

As you begin on your low sodium journey, the most important skill you will need is the ability to read nutrition labels. They can be confusing and may throw you off for awhile - but I promise this will soon become second nature to you. For many of us, we are monitoring multiple issues in our health and on the label, but the obvious one to start with is Sodium.

The American Heart Association recommends no more than 2,300 milligrams (mg) a day. However for most of us who are following a low sodium diet, that seems like a joke! You should always check with your doctor for your specific medical requirements, but for me personally, I try to keep to under 1,500 mg per day, and if I can, even less.

Key Sodium Figures on Every Label

There are some key figures to look at in terms of Sodium on every label. That is why it is absolutely critical to read nutrition labels:

• Milligrams of Sodium - The first and most obvious one is the amount of sodium in the product in milligrams. Usually anything below 200 Mg, I allow myself to keep going on to the next step. Generally above 200, is usually already out of the question because I know the serving size is usually miniscule. Which brings us to second piece of critical information on the nutrition label..
• Serving Size - this is generally at the top of the label in different measurements like grams or 1/2 Cup or a Tsp. etc. A classic example is an item that lists the sodium amount as 100 Mg per serving. when you look at the serving size it is for 3 chips. Who etas only 3 chips? The answer is no one! Multiply by 3 for 9 chips (which is the bare minimum anyone eats in my opinion!). You have now have 9 chips for 300 mg -- a pretty hefty snack. And you won't even be satiated. It really is all about the serving size. Sometimes you see a very low sodium amount like 20 mg, but the serving size is 1/4 of a Teaspoon. Well, if you are going to use a full teaspoon, that quickly becomes 80 mg. Of course keep in mind what is the actual amount you will be eating. No one is sitting down and eating 1 Tsp of a spice in total. It is spread across the entire recipe. Just use your head and don't let yourself get taken in by the low sodium amounts without checking the serving size.
• Percent of Daily Value - You should be choosing foods with a Percent Daily Value of less than five. What this means is that one serving of this food contributes less than 5% of your daily recommended sodium intake. The AHA recommends 2,300 mg per day, so if you are limiting your sodium to less than that, these Daily Value numbers change as well. I try to keep to 1,500 mg or less per day, so that 5% would be greater. However, 5% is a great number to look at and know that at least this product is on the right track for a consumer keeping to a low sodium diet.

Some Other Tips When Reading Nutrition Labels

Keep in mind that every nutrition label lists out the ingredients in a food in descending order from those that are used the most in the product to the least. If salt or sodium is the number #1 or #2 ingredient, put it right back on the shelf (or take it out of your online cart :)) Chances are the nutrition label will back that up with a very high sodium number.

Marketers will try anything to get you to spend your money. They don't really care about your health. They just want you to buy their product. That's why they use all different terms on labels that scream out to you from the shelf so that you get excited. But all these terms mean very different things and can really impact the amount of sodium in a product.

• "Unsalted" or "No Salt Added" means there is no sodium added to the food. Keep in mind that many products have natural sodium, so there still may be sodium in the item.
• "Sodium-free" means a serving has less than 5 mg of sodium, which is very good.
• "Low sodium" means a serving has 140 mg or less of sodium, which is not necessarily so good! Of course, as per above, it depends on serving size. But 140 mg is not what anyone on a low sodium diet would consider to be "low sodium",
• Some products say "low sodium" but when you compare them to their "high sodium" counterpart, they are actually higher in sodium!! Absolutely insane, right?
• Sodium has different names. Sodium is also called monosodium glutamate . MSG, sodium citrate, sodium alginate, sodium hydroxide, and sodium phosphate. Just because you don't see SALT does not mean it is low in sodium.

The Bottom Line

Bottom line -- keep your eyes very open while food shopping and pay close attention to the products you are purchasing. Read nutrition labels as if your life depended on it. Because it literally does.

The good news is that once you get the hang of this, it will become second nature. You will know which brands are true to their core, and which products are truly low sodium.