Introduction

Salt is an essential part of our diets. In fact, human blood is 0.9 percent sodium chloride (salt)! That salt in the blood helps maintain the electrolyte balance inside and outside of cells. While individual needs can vary, most studies indicate that the human body needs only around 500 milligrams of salt a day to maintain that healthy balance — but that 500 milligrams is a fraction of what many Americans consume in a day.

To give you an idea of how much salt constitutes the recommended target milligrams a day, consider these “straight from the salt shaker” statistics:

¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt = 500 milligrams sodium

¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt = 1,000 milligrams sodium

³⁄₄ teaspoon salt = 1,500 milligrams sodium

1 teaspoon salt = 2,000 milligrams sodium

1 teaspoon baking soda = 1,000 milligrams sodium

Most people are aware that too much salt in the diet can cause an increase in blood pressure in salt-sensitive individuals. An elevation in blood pressure increases the risk of stroke. In addition to blood pressure and the risk of cardiac health concerns, too much sodium can cause other problems as well.

Chances are that reducing the salt in your diet won’t be the only lifestyle change suggestion your doctor or dietician makes, but, for some, it can be the most intimidating one. Increasing the amount of daily exercise can be as simple as climbing some stairs instead of taking the elevator or parking the car a little further from your destination and walking the additional distance.

But a low-salt diet doesn’t have to be bland and boring — we’ve pulled together fifty of the most delicious, tantalizing, and most importantly, healthy recipes that are high in tastiness and low in salt. Enjoy!