This month we feature: reducing sodium without losing flavour

In this issue

Recipe of the month

Restaurant and take-out meals often have a lot of sodium. Too much sodium in your diet can lead to higher blood pressure.  

Cooking at home gives you more control and helps limit sodium in your meals.

Try this baked fish and chips recipe! It’s crispy, delicious, and uses a blend of spices with just a small amount of salt to maximize flavour while minimizing sodium.

Baked fish and chips

New food label to help you identify foods high in sodium

You can use the new front-of-package nutrition symbol while grocery shopping to quickly identify foods that are high in sodium. Look for the black-and-white symbol with a magnifying glass. This symbol appears on packaged foods that are high in saturated fat, sugars, or sodium.

Soy sauce

Learn more about the front-of-package nutrition symbol

Make your own spice mixes

Homemade spice mixes can boost flavour without extra sodium.

Try this simple grill mix:

  • 10 mL (2 tsp) onion powder
  • 5 mL (1 tsp) dried oregano
  • 30 mL (2 tbsp) smoked paprika

This seasoning works well on fish, tofu, meat, or vegetables, and you can use it in marinades. Make a big batch and store it in a dry, sealed jar for later.  

Discover more homemade seasoning mixes.

Fresh and dried herbs to boost flavour

Both fresh and dried herbs are a great way to add flavour without excess sodium.

Boost flavour when cooking with herbs by adding:

  • fresh herbs at the end of cooking to maximize flavour as their flavours can fade if cooked too long
  • dried herbs earlier in the cooking process to allow them more time to release their flavour

Learn more about best uses for fresh and dried herbs.

Seasoning with little to no added sodium

When preparing foods, keep in mind that some recipe ingredients, like sauces (such as soy sauce), cheeses, and store-bought seasonings may contain a lot of sodium. When used in small amounts (as needed), these ingredients can help boost flavour in your meals while still limiting overall sodium in your diet. Remember, a small amount goes a long way.

Healthy eating recommendation of the month

Use food labels. Learn how to use food labels to make healthier choices.  

Translated food guide snapshot of the month

Canada’s food guide is a suite of online resources made to meet different needs. It includes the food guide snapshot, available online in many languages.

This month, discover the snapshot in Dene.

Next month

This edition marks the final issue of our newsletter, and no further editions are planned. While Health Canada will no longer produce the newsletter, you can continue to access Canada’s food guide and the past 12 months of issues at: www.Canada.ca/FoodGuide.

 

Originally published: February 20, 2026

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