advice on lowering sodium intake?

DavidG789

I've been noticing in my logs lately that even though I'm under my caloric goal overall I'm still going over in both fat and sodium. The fat isn't too bad but still need to watch, however with the sodium it will go over the top a lot of times. Mostly when I eat out, but still.. any advice on how to lower it?

fr33sia12

Added sodium is mainly found in processed & packaged food, so check food labels. If you eat tinned foods like veggies change to fresh or frozen as no salt is added. Try making more of your meals yourself instead of ready made and then you can control how much salt goes in.

Also check your food entries in your diary are correct, as many people add the sodium amount incorrectly.

RoxieDawn

For starters eating out a lot will cause you go over sodium. No getting around that. Cook your meals at home, and when appropriate you can buy somethings now that are lower sodium (i.e. canned tomatoes, rotel, beans, lower sodium deli meats etc).

I do not have medical reasons to cut sodium, but I do not want any either, I try to stay within the recommendation.
I buy low sodium canned goods, etc. when available and cook with my own seasonings and add my own amounts of salt.

oat_bran

You can buy this reduced sodium salt - where part of the sodium is replaced with potassium - and use it instead of regular salt while cooking.

Lounmoun

General tips:
http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm315393.htm
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments_and_procedures/hic-your-sodium-controlled-diet

Recipes and cookbooks:
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/Recipes/Cookbooks-and-Health-Guides-from-American-Heart-Association_UCM_468182_SubHomePage.jsp#mainContent
http://www.lowsodiumcooking.com/free/Archive.htm#maindishes

Eating out:
http://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/uz1670

Look up sodium content of foods:
http://dietgrail.com/sodium/
https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/nutrients/index

psuLemon

DavidG789 wrote: »

I've been noticing in my logs lately that even though I'm under my caloric goal overall I'm still going over in both fat and sodium. The fat isn't too bad but still need to watch, however with the sodium it will go over the top a lot of times. Mostly when I eat out, but still.. any advice on how to lower it?

I guess the question is why do you have concern? Fat can be extreme healthy for you, especially if unsaturated. Sodium is one of several electrolyte components and is critical to life (sodium, chloride, calcium, magnesium and potassium are electrolytes). If you are active, you tend to need more sodium. If you are worried about water weight, then eat foods high in potassium and magnesium and drink plenty of water to balance it out.

Overall, pending you don't have hypertension, neither of those things are too much to worry about, unless the fat is causing you to exceed calorie goals.