Sodium is a hidden chemical in food that contributes to weight gain and high blood pressure. Lowering your salt intake can lower blood pressure but only by a small amount. It is not enough to expect an important health benefit to aid in weight loss and healthy diet.

Watch out for those Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice type frozen gourmet dinner meals. While they may be very low in fat and calories, they are very high in sodium which packs on water weight. The best kind of meals to cook at home are those done from scratch. Try a new recipe, add flavor with fresh herbs and spices, lemon or vinegar instead of salt. You will find that your craving for salt will dissipate after three months of cutting back.

Start skipping out on the bacon, ham and hot dogs. Try leaner meats such as fresh fish and poultry. If your blood pressure is a little on the high side you will want to lean more towards meats that have less sodium and fats. You may also want to rinse your canned foods such as tuna and beans. Make sure you read labels and watch for those sneaky sodium aliases such as monosodium glutamate (MSG) and sodium benzoate.

And believe it or not any sauces or dressings with the word “lite” in front of it carries much more sodium than those that are not. What you’ll want to choose instead are those labeled low-fat instead. Remember “lite” doesn’t necessarily mean healthy. These are just a few simple ways to cut the sodium out of your diet. Before you know it the pounds will be falling off and your blood pressure and cholesterol levels will drop significantly. There are no set numbers for these kind of things but every little bit helps.