We have blogged on the Salty Six before, but since so many of our readers are interested in reducing their blood pressure, we decided it was worth another post!

Many people think that reducing sodium means putting down the salt shaker. There is some truth to this. However, most of the sodium we eat doesn’t come from salt we add at home, but rather from sodium added to packaged foods and restaurant dishes.

The American Heart Association created the Salty Six list to educate Americans about the foods that tend to hide an unexpected amount of sodium. These foods aren’t always particularly ‘salty’ in taste, but they pack a sodium punch!

If some of your favorite foods are on this list, there are a few things you can do:

• Check Nutrition Facts labels, you may find that some brands don’t add as much sodium as others.
• Look for reduced sodium or no salt added varieties.
• Enjoy the foods you love, just eat them less often.

Remember the Salty Six next time you make your grocery list and check those Nutrition Facts labels while you’re shopping!