Many dishes at the corner Chinese joint pour on more than an entire day’s worth of sodium. To satisfy your jones without straining your system:

  • DON’T FRY IT Ask for your food to be steamed or sautéed.
  • DON’T DROWN IT Ask for your food to be prepared with low-sodium soy sauce, or ask for sauce on the side. Worst case: Tip it over a sink and pour some of the salty, starchy liquid out.
  • STRETCH IT Mix in a side of steamed vegetables, divide the entrée in half and eat the other part later.

SODIUM REPORT CARD

LEMON CHICKEN: B-
This is not bad, although deep frying ratchets calories to 1400.

SPARE RIBS: D
Four li’l ribs pack 900 mg sodium.

CHICKEN IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE: F
Each order has 3,800 mg sodium, more than double your daily dose!