The recommendation for people with diabetes to reduce their sodium intake to 1500 milligrams daily can be challenging to some. Most of the sodium in the average American’s diet comes from processed foods. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 offers several suggestions for cutting back on sodium:
• Read the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels for information on sodium content; purchase foods that are low in sodium, defined as 140 mg or less per serving for most foods.
• Consume more fresh foods and fewer processed foods that are high in sodium.
• Prepare more of your food at home, and use little or no salt or salt-containing seasonings when cooking and eating.
• When eating at restaurants, ask that salt not be added to your food, or order lower-sodium options, if available. Some fast-food restaurant chains, including Subway, have already responded to public health messages by reducing the sodium content of their menu items.
