If you ate too much salt, drink water and eat potassium-rich foods to rebalance fluids fast.
Get moving\u2014sweating helps flush out excess sodium and reduce water retention.
Focus on long-term habits like label reading, cooking at home, and smart snacking.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re thinking, \u201cI ate too much salt\u2014 now what should I do?\u201d you\u2019re not alone. Whether it was a salty takeout dinner, a handful (or three) of chips or a night of ramen and snacks, sodium has a way of sneaking in<\/a>. The average American eats about 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day\u2014well above the recommended 2,300 milligrams.\n<\/p>\n The good news? A salty night won\u2019t wreck your health. We asked registered dietitians to share exactly what to do after eating too much salt to help your body recover and feel better fast.\n<\/p>\n 1. Drink Lots of Water <\/p>\n There\u2019s a reason that you often feel thirsty after a salty meal or snack<\/a>; your body is trying to correct its sodium-to-water ratio. \u201cDrinking water after a salty meal helps flush excess sodium from your body through urine,\u201d says Veronica Rouse, M.A.N., RD, CDE<\/a>. Although it may seem counterintuitive, drinking some extra water will also help reduce that bloated feeling<\/a> often caused by water retention from excess sodium intake, she adds.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Upping your water intake<\/a> isn\u2019t the only way to rehydrate after a particularly salty meal. Amy Goldsmith, RDN, LDN<\/a>, suggests that you reach for more high-water-content food<\/a>s like fruits and vegetables, as they can also help you dilute and flush out the extra sodium in your body. Some examples of hydrating foods<\/a> to choose include cucumbers, watermelon and celery.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n 2. Sweat It Out <\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for another way to reset after a salty meal, try working up a sweat with your favorite workout. \u201cExercising boosts circulation and promotes sodium loss through sweat,\u201d says Umo Callins, M.S., RD\/LD, CSSD, CPT<\/a>. Since water is the other primary component in your sweat, make sure that you are also staying hydrated with water<\/a> during your workout.\n<\/p>\n 3. Prioritize Potassium-Rich Foods <\/p>\n Sodium and potassium work together<\/a> to maintain fluid balance in your body. So if you want to counteract the effects of too much sodium, upping your potassium intake<\/a> can help. \u201cPotassium works in opposition to sodium in the body, so eating potassium-rich foods like bananas, oranges, spinach and sweet potatoes can help balance sodium levels,\u201d says Rouse.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n After a salty meal, focus on foods that naturally help your body balance sodium<\/a>\u2014those rich in potassium. Most of us fall short on this nutrient: women need about 2,600 milligrams a day, and men should aim for 3,400. Try adding avocado, yogurt, bananas or leafy greens to your breakfast. An avocado toast<\/a> or a yogurt bowl with fruit<\/a> makes an easy, balanced start to your day.\n<\/p>\n 4. Have a Low-Sodium Breakfast <\/p>\n Having too much sodium on one day won\u2019t derail your healthy eating efforts forever\u2014it\u2019s more important to aim for balance in your overall eating pattern<\/a>. Get back on track by starting your day off with a low-sodium breakfast, ideally less than 600 milligrams<\/a> of sodium in total. Looking for some inspiration? Try some of our favorite low-sodium breakfasts, like our Avocado & Kale Omelet<\/a>, Cinnamon Roll Overnight Oats<\/a> and Berry-Almond Smoothie Bowl<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n Other Ways to Lower Your Sodium Intake\u00a0 <\/p>\n Here are some other strategies to help you maintain your health goals and reduce your overall sodium intake.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Make label reading a habit: Since sodium is added to most packaged and processed foods, checking Nutrition Facts labels<\/a> can make a big difference. \u201cPay attention not to just the total sodium amount in the product, but also look at the amount per serving size, as this can help you determine whether the sodium content aligns with the portion you plan to eat,\u201d says Callins. Sodium levels can vary a lot between brands\u2014even for the same type of food. Take a minute to compare Nutrition Facts labels and choose the option with the least sodium per serving. Our Expert Take <\/p>\n Simple steps like drinking more water, getting in some movement, and eating potassium-rich foods can help your body recover from a salty meal. It\u2019s also worth thinking about what led you to reach for those saltier foods\u2014maybe stress, fatigue, or just convenience\u2014so you can plan ahead next time. And don\u2019t stress too much: one high-sodium meal won\u2019t derail your heart health. It\u2019s your long-term eating pattern that matters most.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If you ate too much salt, drink water and eat potassium-rich foods to rebalance fluids fast.Get moving\u2014sweating helps…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":290386,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[102,6636,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-290385","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-nutrition","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom","12":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/290385","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=290385"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/290385\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/290386"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=290385"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=290385"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=290385"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nCook from scratch: \u201cPreparing meals from scratch is fundamental to lowering sodium intake,\u201d says Rouse. \u201cBy cooking at home, you can take control of how much salt goes into your meals while enjoying the freedom to experiment with spices and herbs for added flavor.\u201d\u00a0
\nSnack smart: Salty snacks are one of the biggest hidden sources of sodium in our diets. Stay ahead of cravings by keeping your pantry stocked with lower-sodium options. Need ideas? These low-sodium snack picks<\/a> are also low in saturated fat to help support heart health.<\/p>\n