Stupid Sodium

MattMacedo

Sodium is such a problem for me! In literally most the things I eat, it has a huge amount of sodium in it. What are some tips and tricks to avoid eating so much sodium

byusuri

I'm curious myself. I always see that I'm over my "allotment" for sodium.

MakePeasNotWar

Avoiding canned and packaged foods and cooking at home from scratch is the best way to reduce overall sodium intake.

If that is unrealistic, look for low sodium versions of soups and sauces (two of the biggest culprits) and try to limit restaurant meals to a few times a week.

If you work out a lot, you can probably afford to go over by a moderate amount, as sodium is lost in sweat.

Annie_01

Also be aware that some spice blends have a VERY high sodium content. I used a cajun seasoning on some chicken that I grilled and I might as well have dumped the box of salt on it.

Salsa is another food that I don't eat because of sodium unless I make it from scratch. Condiments...dressings...chicken that has been shot up with a sodium solution...and on and on and on.

I try to stay between 1500 & 2000...some days I just don't succeed.

vinerie

Agree with the other commenters--cooking from home help me cut back quite a bit. I happen to love Asian flavors and recipes; soy sauce or fish sauce are sodium bombs, though. Processed meats, cheeses, and anything pre-packaged contains a lot.

There is a a lot of differing info out there about sodium. My cholesterol was more than 200 at my last physical, and I told myself I would cut down on sodium as part of a larger project in lowering my cholesterol. But in reading about it, sodium may not be the bad health culprit it's been made out to be.

Annie_01

OP...Here is a guide that I went by when I first started trying to cut sodium...


Salt/Sodium-Free → Less than 5 mg of sodium per serving
Very Low Sodium → 35 mg of sodium or less per serving
Low Sodium → 140 mg of sodium or less per serving
Reduced Sodium → At least 25% less sodium than in the original product
Light in Sodium or Lightly Salted → At least 50% less sodium than the regular product
No-Salt-Added or Unsalted → No salt is added during processing, but not necessarily sodium-free. Check the Nutrition Facts Label to be sure!


Be careful however...when they reduce sodium they usually raise the sugar content...make it taste not so bland!

barryplumber

Annie_01 wrote: »

Also be aware that some spice blends have a VERY high sodium content. I used a cajun seasoning on some chicken that I grilled and I might as well have dumped the box of salt on it.

Salsa is another food that I don't eat because of sodium unless I make it from scratch. Condiments...dressings...chicken that has been shot up with a sodium solution...and on and on and on.

I try to stay between 1500 & 2000...some days I just don't succeed.

Mrs Dash spices there are quite a few different one all have no salt

audreykts

Sodium intake isn't a big concern for most people, unless you have blood pressure issues. In fact, the new dietary guidelines for 2015 will be changing to reflect that the scientific community doesn't agree with the current recommendations.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/04/06/more-scientists-doubt-salt-is-as-bad-for-you-as-the-government-says/

But if you are still concerned, high sodium levels are in processed foods so making foods from scratch will definitely be lower in salt.

barryplumber

It took me awhile to find out all the foods that are high on sodium after the doc told me i had to cut my sodium to 1500mg/day. Bread was the hardest one to get around as we all eat toast buns burgers ect stated to bake my bread and change the salt to just 1/4 spoon which was just enough to activate the yeast. Just about all deli meats, sausages and ham is loaded with sodium. Sauces like soy sauce is a real killer some other sauces you can have in moderation. I have also switched to using real garlic, peppers and Mrs Dash spices. People will say use sea salt but check the sodium although not as bad as salt is still not good. Doing a good flush of your system with water helps as well and sweat good luck just keep reading the labels

flrancho

I watch my sodium pretty closely as I've had some heart problems (mitral valve prolapse), and for the most part do pretty well at regulating my sodium intake, only going over slightly one or two times a week maybe.

My personal tips:

* Cook at home more often. Eat out less often.
* Don't add salt to food you cook. Seriously, most things you're going to fix have enough natural salt in them that you don't need to add any.
* Avoid processed foods. This includes luncheon meat, processed cheese, frozen meals, and canned foods. Eat real cheese, leftover meats, and fresh vegetables, fruits, and beans instead of canned. If you have to use canned, try getting a low sodium, sodium reduced, or no salt added variety.
* Sauces and marinades can have a lot of sodium; make your own, or if you have to try a low sodium variety.
* Watch low fat products. Most low fat, reduced fat, or fat free foods have more sodium than the full fat variety.
* Read labels on anything you buy from the store and look for the sodium content.
* Plan out your day in advance for meals. Have an idea of what you are eating. If I know I'm going to have teriyaki chicken for dinner, I make a special effort to try to have low sodium foods the rest of the day.

Also, sandwiches, salads, and soups are often perceived as being very healthy by many people, but I have found them to be among the worst sodium offenders.

ForeverSunshine09

Prelog and you can generally work around it. I am on a 2000 mg sodium diet based on drs instructions. I just move stuff around til it works. I can succeed about 6 out of 7 days.