10 healthy sodium-reduced recipes for low sodium diets

By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

Low sodium doesn't have to mean low on flavour. These 10 sodium-reduced recipes by The Canadian Living Test Kitchen are guaranteed to please the whole family.

We all need salt for healthy living, but because it's so abundant in our food supply, it makes sense to be aware of just how much we take in each day.

Diets that are high in sodium have been linked to high blood pressure, which is a key risk factor for heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.

According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, "Because our diets are generally so high in salt, everybody - even those with normal blood pressure - can benefit from reducing salt intake."

One of the best ways is to cut down on processed foods (such as salty snack foods, canned soups, processed and smoked meats, salted or smoked fish, condiments, canned tomato sauce and salad dressings).

And since there are no health risks associated with reducing sodium consumption, it may pay for everyone to lower his or her intake. Here are delicious dishes with very low levels of sodium to get you started.

(Originally published as Get Smart About Salt in the June 2007 issue of Canadian Living Magazine.)