Chances are you're eating way too much salt, and most of it is coming from packaged foods—not the shaker on your dining table. Trade them in for these healthy, low-salt snacks that won't blow your daily sodium budget.
9 Best Low-Salt Snacks, According to Expert Dieticians
Updated on Dec. 17, 2024
There are some major health benefits to cutting back on salt in your diet—and low-salt snacks are a great place to start, says Dana Ellis Hunnes, PhD, MPH, RD, a senior dietician at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.
She explains that salt retains water in the body. “So, when you eat more sodium, your blood volume can increase,” and this can raise your blood pressure and your risk for stroke, cardiovascular disease, and kidney disease. “Eating less salt will help your body by making your blood volume stable, will lower your blood pressure, and will help lower your risk for these types of chronic diseases.”
But most of us eat way too much salt in our diet. “The average amount of sodium that people eat here is often 4,000 milligrams (mg) per day or more,” she says. That’s almost double the USDA’s guidelines of less than 2,300 mg daily.
“I like to tell my patients to think of their sodium allowance like a bank account,” Dr. Hunnes explains—and from that account, she recommends budgeting about 200mg of sodium or less for snacks. But be aware: So many foods have salt added to them, especially if they are processed. “The lower, the better, in the case of packaged foods with labels,” advises Dr. Hunnes, who is also the author of Recipe for Survival: What You Can Do to Live a Healthier and More Environmentally Friendly Life. Yet there are also plenty of snackable foods like fruits and vegetables that contain almost no sodium.
With this framework in mind, registered dieticians share their favorite low-salt snacks that keep you in this range. Just remember: It’s important to stick to the portion sizes listed to keep your salt allowance in check.
1. Apples with peanut butter
Apples with peanut butter can be great low-salt snacks, but you have to make sure of one thing—that the only ingredient in the PB is plain ground organic peanuts, no salt added. One tablespoon of peanut butter can have 0 mg of sodium, and one medium apple has 0 mg, too.
“The apple provides you with fiber and water for hydration, and the peanut butter provides you with protein for satiety,” says Keri Glassman, MS, RD, CDN, an award-winning registered dietitian, author, and adjunct professor at NYU.
2. Unsalted nuts
Nuts are a powerful disease fighter that you probably already have in your pantry. A quarter-cup serving of dry roasted almonds without added salt has only 2 mg of sodium, making almonds great diet snacks.
“Nuts and seeds are a heart-healthy snack when eaten in moderation, providing your body with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats,” says Tiffany DeWitt, MS, RD, MBA, a registered dietitian and clinical nutrition consultant. “Choose the unsalted variety and eat them alone or mixed into yogurt for a crunchy taste.”
3. Air-popped popcorn
Popcorn makes an excellent whole-grain snack, as long as you’re avoiding the butter-and-salt-filled kind. Opt for air-popped popcorn or make homemade popcorn instead. At only 1 mg of sodium per cup, you can munch on this low-salt snack without any problems. “This kind of popcorn is low in calories—only 31 calories a cup—and doesn’t contain any bad oils that can increase fat consumption,” says DeWitt.
Instead of salt, try adding herbs or nutritional yeast, which has a buttery flavor but is actually dairy-free.
4. Edamame
Edamame alone without added salt only contains 5 mg of sodium per cup. Soybeans are a great source of protein, as well as a bit of calcium, iron, and vitamin C. Edamame are also a top-ranked source of plant protein for people who don’t eat meat, making them top-notch low-salt snacks.
5. Raw veggies and Greek-yogurt dip
Carrots and celery sticks are much more enjoyable when you can dunk them in a savory dip, but many dips are high in salt that quickly make the snack unhealthy. “Swap ranch dressing or other high-sodium dips for a Greek-yogurt based dip to get the same filling taste, but less salt,” Glassman says.
One medium carrot has 42 mg of sodium, and depending on the brand, many Greek yogurt-based dips can range from 25 to 100 mg of sodium per serving.
If you’re not into veggies, eat your Greek yogurt with a side of berries. One serving of Greek yogurt contains only 50 to 70 mg of sodium, while a whopping one cup of berries contains 0 mg. “Get the antioxidant boost of berries and the protein from the yogurt to keep you full and satisfied until your next meal,” says Glassman.
6. Whole fruit
“Fruit is naturally low in sodium, so pick whatever type your taste buds desire,” says DeWitt. A variety of fruits contain 2 mg of sodium or less, including strawberries and bananas. Many are also high in potassium, which could help fight high blood pressure, a common symptom of a high-sodium diet.
7. Roasted chickpeas
Roasted chickpeas are a protein-rich snack. “Add avocado oil or coconut oil, and toss with spices like curry, paprika, and cumin for flavor and an antioxidant boost,” Glassman says.
Chickpeas are great low-salt diet snacks, as they only contain 6 mg of sodium per half cup. Just be sure to rinse canned chickpeas before roasting, as the liquid they come packed in is filled with sodium.
“These beans are also a great source of fiber to help promote good digestion,” she says.
8. Kale chips
Steer clear of store-bought versions, which can be teaming with salt, and bake your own addictive kale chips. Take a bag of raw kale, arrange it in one layer on a cookie sheet, give it a light coating of vegetable spray, and add the herbs and spices of your choice before baking or roasting at about 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.
Kale is a naturally low-salt superfood, with 11 mg of sodium per cup, and generous doses of beta-carotene, vitamins C and K, and calcium, among other key nutrients.
9. Smoothies
Mixing whole fruits and vegetables in your smoothies rather than packaged produce is a great way to keep your salt content down. When tossing ingredients in a blender, include foods like leafy greens, peanut butter, strawberries, banana, and avocado, and you’ll be keeping your sodium intake below 20 mg, all while getting in your protein, potassium, and healthy fats.
About the Experts
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- 28 Healthy Snacks to Satisfy the Munchies
- I Ate Popcorn Every Day for a Week—Here’s What Happened
- How To Buy Healthy Peanut Butter, According to Experts
- 8 Foods to Watch Out for If You Have High Blood Pressure
Additional writing and reporting by Leslie Finlay.
Medically reviewed by 
