4. Label It Low

Processed convenience items amount for about seventy-five percent of the sodium in most diets. So this is the place to hit hardest with your sodium lowering strategies. Ideally, shift away from highly processed to more minimally processed and fresh foods. But if you must buy processed, zero in on the nutrition facts label to figure out what brands are doing the best job of keeping sodium levels low. See Top 10 Best Processed Foods and Top 10 Lower-Sodium Foods.

Shopping tip: For the biggest impact, look for lower sodium versions of products you eat frequently. The top ten sodium sources for most Americans are meat pizza, white bread, processed cheese, hot dogs, spaghetti with sauce, ham, ketchup, cooked rice, white rolls, and flour tortillas.