4 lower-salt food swaps

77 percent of the sodium we consume comes from prepared and processed foods. Here are four food switches to help slash some sodium from your diet

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Green beans

Instead of: Green Giant Cut Green Beans, from a can, has 220 mg of sodium per 1/2 cup (125 mL) serving. Yes, beans are extremely healthy, but if you’re looking to cut your sodium intake, consider frozen.

Try: Green Giant Cut Green Beans, from the frozen foods aisle, has far less salt for more beans: a miniscule 4 mg of sodium for 3/4 cup (175 mL). Load up on them!

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Helpers

Instead of: Hamburger Helper Lasagne has 1,090 mg of sodium per one-cup (250 mL) prepared serving. That’s close to half of the maximum healthy amount for a whole day-in just one meal.

Try: Tuna Helper Au Gratin has 620 mg of sodium in the same-sized serving. That doesn’t exactly mean it is low in sodium, but you do save almost 500 mg.

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Canned soup

Instead of: No Name Cream of Mushroom Condensed Soup might be good on a cold day, but at 920 mg of sodium per one-cup (250 mL) prepared bowl, you may want to pass.

Try: President’s Choice Mushroom Barley Soup will satisfy your need for comfort food, with only about half the sodium (480 mg) for the same-sized serving.

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Crackers

Instead of: Christie Vegetable Thins may be small in size, but if you snack on 13 of these crackers (which is one serving), you’ll consume 210 mg of sodium.

Try: Christie Triscuit Rye with Caraway Seeds. A similar-sized serving (four crackers) cuts the salt in half, with only 100 mg of sodium.