Avoid these foods for a healthier heart

CANNED VEGETABLES:- veggies may be a cornerstone of a blood-pressure friendly diet but not the ones that come out of a can. The preservatives and sauces that keep the vitamin-filled veggies company inside the container are packed with sodium. Look for no salt added or low sodium options and be sure to rinse your veggies thoroughly before digging in. Can t find an unsalted option? Consider switching to frozen veggies there are plenty of unsalted selections.

COTTAGE CHEESE:- Even though this breakfast staple doesn t taste salty, a one-cup serving can carry almost 700 milligrams of the mineral—more than a third of what you re supposed to have in an entire day. If you re going to keep the stuff in your breakfast lineup, swap to a no-salt-added variety. Or, better yet, eat a container of Greek yogurtinstead. It s a low-salt, high-protein cottage cheese substitute we re big fans of.

FROZEN MEALS:- Frozen dinners may be quick and easy options when you re time strapped, but they re also loaded with sodium. Yes, even the healthy-sounding options. Two prime examples: Lean Cuisine s Roasted Chicken and Garden Vegetables packs 620 milligrams of sodium and Special K s Sausage, Egg & Cheese Flatbread Breakfast Sandwich carries 700 milligrams—or just under half a day s worth. When you re in the freezer aisle, look for meals with less than 500 milligrams per serving.

CAPERS & KETCHUP:- When it comes to your blood pressure and heart health, condiments matter. Those capers you top your Chicken Piccata with? They carry over 200 milligrams of salt per tablespoon. And the ketchup you dip your fries into has 167 milligrams in the same serving size. Scale back on the condiments to maintain your flat belly and keep your ticker in tip-top condition.

BEEF JERKY:- Jerky is super trendy right now, thanks in part to the ever-growing Paleo trend. Sure, it s free of refined grains and packed with protein, but it s also notoriously high in salt—not good news if you have high blood pressure or want to keep your heart healthy. A small, 1-ounce serving can have an upwards of 700 milligrams of salt, which is more than four times what you d find in the same serving of chips.

RESTAURANT SOUP:- Hot & Sour Soup Bowl, packs an artery-shivering 7,980 mg of sodium. That s more than four days worth or the equivalent of nearly 45—yes, 45—individual bags of Cool Ranch Doritos. Not all restaurant s bowls of broth are quite that salt-filled, but even chains like Ruby Tuesday and Applebee s don t ladle out anything with less than half a day s sodium per bowl. Our advice: If you re looking to enjoy something warming and delicious,

HIGH IN SALT : - Many people know that eating too much salt can raise their blood pressure. But not everyone realizes that uncontrolled high BP can cause their arteries to harden and narrow, increasing the risk of heart disease. That s not all: New research has also linked obesity to high sodium intake while another study found that overweight men with the highest salt intakes were 61 percent more likely to die of heart disease than those who consume less of the mineral.

VEGETABLE JUICE:- Prefer to sip your greens rather than chew em? Stick with the freshly made varieties from a local juice shop (or your kitchen). The bottled versions are filled to the brim with salt. For example, just 8-ounces of V8 Vegetable Juice Essential Antioxidants has 480 milligrams of sodium. If you have to sip the bottled variety go for V8 s low-sodium blend. It will save you 340 milligrams of sodium, which over the course of a month can really make a difference in your blood pressure levels.

TOMATO SAUCE:- Want some pasta with that salt!? A half cup of Hunter s Tomato sauce packs a whopping 830 milligrams of sodium—which is more than you d find in 97 Cheez-It crackers! To keep your blood pressure from spiking, look for jars of tomato sauce with fewer than 350 milligrams per half-cup serving. Both Amy s Light in Sodium Organic Family Marinara and Ragu Light No Sugar Added Tomato & Basil fit the bill. And speaking of noodle night

COLD CUTS:- According to a recent survey, 48 percent of Americans are looking to cut back on sodium, however according to a Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dieteticsstudy, nearly half of Americans consume a sandwich every day—one of the top source of salt in the American diet. Coincidental? We think not. The bread and condiments certainly don t help the salt situation, but cold cuts and cheese are the primary culprits, contributing about 250 milligrams of sodium per slice.