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8 Salty Snacks to Always Leave on Grocery Store Shelves

Your heart will thank you in the long-run.

It's time to really take a look at your snack pantry, and have the talk. You know, a break-up talk, if you will. With the overly salty snacks you're likely munching on, that is. The American Heart Association recommends adults consume no more than 2,300 milligrams per day of sodium, but on average, it's been found that Americans eat more than 3,400 milligrams of sodium daily.

What's so bad about that?

Well, not only can overconsumption of salty foods lead to weight gain, skin troubles, and headaches but high sodium intake is associated with a higher risk of developing high blood pressure. And more than 70% of sodium intake comes from packaged and prepared foods.

So, back to that break-up talk. We went ahead and rounded up the worst salty snacks that you want to leave on grocery store shelves, away from your kitchen. If you happen to have any of these snacks currently in your pantry, we suggest giving them one last look and quietly removing them from your pantries. There really never is a right way to say goodbye.

Here are the salty snacks to way to stay far away from, and instead, be sure you stock up on The 7 Healthiest Foods to Eat Right Now.

Herr's Salt & Vinegar Chips

herrs salt vinegar chips
Walmart
Per 1 serving: 150 calories, 9 g fat (2.5 g saturated fat), 490 mg sodium, 16 g carbs (1 g fiber, 1 g sugar), 2 g protein

Not only are potato chips an addictive snack choice, but they're rather problematic. Chips have been linked to weight gain, as one Harvard study found, and it's no secret they're loaded up with salt. One of the worst options in the grocery store is Herr's Salt & Vinegar chips, as one serving contains a whopping 490 milligrams of sodium. It's no wonder it's on our list of the unhealthiest potato chips on the planet.

Snyder's Hot Buffalo Wing Pretzel Pieces

snyders hot buffalo wing pretzels
Courtesy of Snyder's
Per serving: 140 calories, 7 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 380 mg sodium, 17 g carbs (<1 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 2 g protein

Snyder's Hot Buffalo Wing Pretzel Pieces are not only packing the salty stuff, but they're also rather high in fat for what you would think is a small snack. And their small size is part of why they're a dangerous snack option. It's very easy to eat more than the recommended serving size

Takis Fuego

takis fuego
Instacart
Per serving: 140 calories, 8 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 410 mg sodium, 17 g carbs (1 g fiber, 1 g sugar), 2 g protein

Takis are rolled tortilla chips that truly bring the heat. And with that extreme taste of fire comes more than 400 milligrams of sodium. Again, these chips are very small, so it's far too easy to eat this entire bag in one sitting. If you can take the heat, that is.

If you're looking to stay on track with your weight-loss goals, learn how to fire up your metabolism and lose weight the smart way here.

Totino's Bacon & Pepperoni Pizza Rolls

totinos pizza rolls
Totino's
Per serving: 230 calories, 9 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 410 mg sodium, 30 g carbs (1 g fiber, 2 g sugar), 6 g protein

Pizza is another food that tends to be high in sodium, and the mini snack-size versions you find in the freezer section are no exception. Totino's went ahead and added both bacon and pepperoni—two processed meats that are packing in the salty stuff—to one bite. That results in just one serving of these bite-size treats to have 410 milligrams per serving.

Tostitos Salsa Con Queso (Medium)

tostitos salsa con queso
Courtesy of Tostitos
Per serving: 40 calories, 2.5 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 280 mg sodium, 5 g carbs (1 g fiber, 1 g sugar), 1 g protein

Tostito's Salsa Con Queso blends tomatoes, chopped jalapeños, red bell peppers, and cheese to make a creamy dip that is said to "always get the party started." Well, it might be all fun and games at first, but at 280 milligrams of sodium per serving, you need to be careful!

Most likely, you're eating this dip with tortilla chips—Tostitos Hint of Lime chips are coming in at 125 milligrams per serving—so this snack can easily have you downing far too much salt. Be sure to have a bottle of water on hand!

Lance ToastChee Spicy Cheddar Sandwich Crackers

lance sandwich crackers
Lance
Per serving: 200 calories, 11 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat), 490 mg sodium, 24 g carbs (<1 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 3 g protein

Cheese and crackers are a beloved snack combo. The ToastChee Spicy Cheddar Sandwich Crackers prove this classic duo can steer your wrong.

Slim Jim Teriyaki Steakhouse Beef Strips

slim jims teriyaki
Slim Jim
Per serving: 70 calories, 2 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 670 mg sodium, 5 g carbs (0 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 8 g protein

One thing that you will get from munching on meat sticks is plenty of protein. Eating protein-based snacks can help reduce hunger, keeping you fuller for longer, which can help you maintain weight loss, too. Slim Jim's Teriyaki Steakhouse Beef Strips, though, are swimming in sodium. No thanks!

Jolly Time Mini Bags Blast O Butter, Ultimate Theatre Style

blast-o-butter minis
Jolly Time
Per serving, 1 bag: 210 calories, 13 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 440 mg sodium, 23 g carbs (4 g fiber, <1 g sugar), 3 g protein

One bag of this popcorn sets you back 16 grams of fat coming from inflammatory palm oil, and 440 milligrams of sodium. It's a skip!

Jennifer Maldonado
Jennifer Maldonado is a senior editor at Eat This, Not That!, specializing in food and health content. Read more about Jennifer
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