Reducing Sodium - looking for tips also reducing sodium if you have to eat out
carlaringuette
Posts: 158 Member
Looking for low sodium foods or ways to reduce sodium. Slowly (very slowly) getting away from fast food. Only reason we do it now is when things like the a/c going out in the Deep South - too hot to make anything in the kitchen during a heat advisory. Or because we had no A/C all weekend no food prep this weekend. Had leftovers for lunch yesterday but will be going out for lunch today and hopefully food prepping tonight. Or eating out for work which only happens occasionally so not as big a problem as the day to day menu.
I think I'm going to go through my cupboards and fridge and see how far we've gone back to our old ways for convenience sake.
My challenge to myself for July will be to not go out to eat and reduce any boxed/prepackaged foods even if they are within calorie range and meet the sugar goal of
5 grams or less.
I am doing much better about the sugar but the sodium is always over.
The things I am working on right now are reducing sugar, increasing protein & reducing sodium.
I have the exercise down pat but I've heard and read that proper nutrition is 90% of the transformation process.
How did you kick sodium to the curb?
I think I'm going to go through my cupboards and fridge and see how far we've gone back to our old ways for convenience sake.
My challenge to myself for July will be to not go out to eat and reduce any boxed/prepackaged foods even if they are within calorie range and meet the sugar goal of
5 grams or less.
I am doing much better about the sugar but the sodium is always over.
The things I am working on right now are reducing sugar, increasing protein & reducing sodium.
I have the exercise down pat but I've heard and read that proper nutrition is 90% of the transformation process.
How did you kick sodium to the curb?
3
Replies
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A couple suggestions:
- Where possible, look up nutrition information before hand and find foods you want that are lower sodium.
- As you probably know, cooking at home is the best way to control sodium intake. You don't always need heat to cook at home. What about sandwiches, tuna salad, salads? There are also a number of things that can be made quickly in a pan on the stove such as eggs, pancakes, quesadillas, stir fry. Is grilling an option.
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I don't worry about sodium because I don't have any sodium related medical problems.
You can look at some of the local restaurant menus though and see if any restaurants, often Chinese, has a special diet menu. This is usually food that has no oil, msg, or salt added. It does need some help to bring some flavor but I have eaten off that menu many times just because I like adding my own oil and other calories so I have better control.
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The best way to control your sodium is to cook from scratch. Many processed foods and restaurant foods are notoriously high in sodium. When using canned goods in recipes, look for reduced sodium options.
Where are you getting 5 grams of sugar as your sugar target? It seems to me that you would have to greatly restrict things like veg and fruit, and those are things you should be eating.3 -
Oh and I have never actually verified the validity of this but I have heard that acid will help bring out the salt flavor (make a low sodium dish seem more salty).0
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Oh and I have never actually verified the validity of this but I have heard that acid will help bring out the salt flavor (make a low sodium dish seem more salty).
This is totally a thing. When a dish is already salted just fine but it's still missing something, often it's vinegar or citrus that will bring it to life. Sugar also in some dishes like tomato based or some asian flavour profiles.1 -
Do you have a medical reason to watch your sodium? When you are going over, how badly are you exceeding your sodium target?1
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cwolfman13 wrote: »The best way to control your sodium is to cook from scratch. Many processed foods and restaurant foods are notoriously high in sodium. When using canned goods in recipes, look for reduced sodium options.
Where are you getting 5 grams of sugar as your sugar target? It seems to me that you would have to greatly restrict things like veg and fruit, and those are things you should be eating.
We had a nutritionist look at our food choices because I need to loose a significant amount 50-70 pounds and hubby needs to gain just as much.
She suggested limiting "added" sugars to 5 grams. I can still have fruit and veggies.
In the end she said she didn't have the expertise to help hubby gain the weight.
We were going to commit for a month and then reassess but after a week we could not do the amount of meat she was recommending. We went from almost vegan to junk food because of time restraints to meat for breakfast lunch and dinner and it was not pretty.
I also have food allergies so I think the nitrates/nitrites in the meat was getting to me.
Her plan was based on myplate.gov
We took some things from her plan and have meat at dinner and sometimes every other day to try to get the protein up. Neither of us were getting hardly any protein.
The emphasis on lowering sugar and sodium is to get my numbers in line for Biometric screening in November.
2 yrs ago they were borderline diabetic and they wanted to put me on statins. Blood pressure was fine but cholesterol was just into the beginning of the high category.
Since it's borderline Doc said I can try to improve the numbers with diet and exercise. We didn't have to do a screening last year. So working hard for good results in November.
Anyway that's my main reason.
The increase in protein was recommended because of the amount of exercise I am doing and the fact that we had nearly zero in our menu before.
I also get puffy when I have too much sodium.
One of my favorite things when I wasn't watching what I eat was potato chips or popcorn both high sodium and we were hooked on Dr Pepper major sugar!
I am staying away from the chips and drinking water or unsweetened tea with an occasional Diet Dr Pepper on the weekends. That's my goal.
Like the nutritionist said progress not perfection. No all or nothing thinking.
Trying to reduce sugar and salt and increase protein to get healthy.0 -
I eat reduced sodium and have for 40 years. In college I had really bad PMS with bloating and cramps and the doctor recommended reducing my sodium, and it worked. Now it is a habit. Essentially, I stopped adding salt to my food (I don't even salt the water when cooking pasta) except baking where it is usually necessary for the right chemical reaction. I also do not monitor my sodium intake.
I buy reduced sodium things like canned tomatoes, broths, etc. I make my own taco seasoning mix. I use herbs and spices instead of sauces and seasonings. I rarely order soup in a restaurant because they usually are too salty. I ask how things are prepared and request that the salt be reduced. It really is second nature and you quickly develop a taste for less salty foods . . . except popcorn. popcorn NEEDS salt.3 -
carlaringuette wrote: »Looking for low sodium foods or ways to reduce sodium. Slowly (very slowly) getting away from fast food. Only reason we do it now is when things like the a/c going out in the Deep South - too hot to make anything in the kitchen during a heat advisory. Or because we had no A/C all weekend no food prep this weekend. Had leftovers for lunch yesterday but will be going out for lunch today and hopefully food prepping tonight. Or eating out for work which only happens occasionally so not as big a problem as the day to day menu.
I think I'm going to go through my cupboards and fridge and see how far we've gone back to our old ways for convenience sake.
My challenge to myself for July will be to not go out to eat and reduce any boxed/prepackaged foods even if they are within calorie range and meet the sugar goal of
5 grams or less.
I am doing much better about the sugar but the sodium is always over.
The things I am working on right now are reducing sugar, increasing protein & reducing sodium.
I have the exercise down pat but I've heard and read that proper nutrition is 90% of the transformation process.
How did you kick sodium to the curb?
This time of year a lot of our dinners are my OH grills and I make the starch and veggies. With no AC we'd be having entree salads. There is zero added sodium in regular raw meat, lettuce, salad veggies, and from scratch dressings like oil and vinegar. We also like a little French bread with this - that just has a pinch of salt. I like about 100 grams of chicken. He also adds cheese, ham, and a hard boiled egg to his salads, which would be fine for your husband who is not trying to limit sodium as far as I saw, and is trying to gain weight. He can go heavy on the salad dressing, and you would want to be mindful of how caloric that can be.
We usually cook extra chicken on the salad night and have leftovers for fajitas or burritos or whatever a subsequent night.
I would think once you succeed in limiting ultra processed / convenience foods / foods like chips you can worry less about the amount of salt you'd normally add to cooked foods.3 -
I eat reduced sodium and have for 40 years. In college I had really bad PMS with bloating and cramps and the doctor recommended reducing my sodium, and it worked. Now it is a habit. Essentially, I stopped adding salt to my food (I don't even salt the water when cooking pasta) except baking where it is usually necessary for the right chemical reaction. I also do not monitor my sodium intake.
I buy reduced sodium things like canned tomatoes, broths, etc. I make my own taco seasoning mix. I use herbs and spices instead of sauces and seasonings. I rarely order soup in a restaurant because they usually are too salty. I ask how things are prepared and request that the salt be reduced. It really is second nature and you quickly develop a taste for less salty foods . . . except popcorn. popcorn NEEDS salt.
Can you share your taco seasoning recipe? You sound like a pro!
Looking forward to the day when this is second nature.
Finally got first 10 pounds gone!2 -
kshama2001 wrote: »carlaringuette wrote: »Looking for low sodium foods or ways to reduce sodium. Slowly (very slowly) getting away from fast food. Only reason we do it now is when things like the a/c going out in the Deep South - too hot to make anything in the kitchen during a heat advisory. Or because we had no A/C all weekend no food prep this weekend. Had leftovers for lunch yesterday but will be going out for lunch today and hopefully food prepping tonight. Or eating out for work which only happens occasionally so not as big a problem as the day to day menu.
I think I'm going to go through my cupboards and fridge and see how far we've gone back to our old ways for convenience sake.
My challenge to myself for July will be to not go out to eat and reduce any boxed/prepackaged foods even if they are within calorie range and meet the sugar goal of
5 grams or less.
I am doing much better about the sugar but the sodium is always over.
The things I am working on right now are reducing sugar, increasing protein & reducing sodium.
I have the exercise down pat but I've heard and read that proper nutrition is 90% of the transformation process.
How did you kick sodium to the curb?
This time of year a lot of our dinners are my OH grills and I make the starch and veggies. With no AC we'd be having entree salads. There is zero added sodium in regular raw meat, lettuce, salad veggies, and from scratch dressings like oil and vinegar. We also like a little French bread with this - that just has a pinch of salt. I like about 100 grams of chicken. He also adds cheese, ham, and a hard boiled egg to his salads, which would be fine for your husband who is not trying to limit sodium as far as I saw, and is trying to gain weight. He can go heavy on the salad dressing, and you would want to be mindful of how caloric that can be.
We usually cook extra chicken on the salad night and have leftovers for fajitas or burritos or whatever a subsequent night.
I would think once you succeed in limiting ultra processed / convenience foods / foods like chips you can worry less about the amount of salt you'd normally add to cooked foods.
Thank you for the great ideas. I will incorporate them in this weeks menu!
Hubby loves salad and he loves bread. So that would definitely work.0 -
carlaringuette wrote: »I eat reduced sodium and have for 40 years. In college I had really bad PMS with bloating and cramps and the doctor recommended reducing my sodium, and it worked. Now it is a habit. Essentially, I stopped adding salt to my food (I don't even salt the water when cooking pasta) except baking where it is usually necessary for the right chemical reaction. I also do not monitor my sodium intake.
I buy reduced sodium things like canned tomatoes, broths, etc. I make my own taco seasoning mix. I use herbs and spices instead of sauces and seasonings. I rarely order soup in a restaurant because they usually are too salty. I ask how things are prepared and request that the salt be reduced. It really is second nature and you quickly develop a taste for less salty foods . . . except popcorn. popcorn NEEDS salt.
Can you share your taco seasoning recipe? You sound like a pro!
Looking forward to the day when this is second nature.
Finally got first 10 pounds gone!
Taco seasoning:
1 Tbl Chili powder
2 tsp Onion powder
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1 tsp Garlic powder
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Oregano
red pepper flakes are optional, add to taste.4 -
Thanks!0
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Your nutritionist may not have enough qualifications to help either one of you. If you are in the states you should see a registered dietition not a nutritionist.
I would get an inexpensive BP cuff to chart how your BP is now before cutting sodium for no good reason. It is very important to keep your path forward as simple as possible.
I would check out the gaining weight forum here for ideas for your husband.2 -
Sodium is your electrolyte. Without it your kidneys fail, you get dehydrated and die. With too much, no one knows, except that if you have had heart surgery or your ankles are 1/2 the diameter of your waist, you may need to reduce sodium.2
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I learned low-sodium cooking when my parents had to go on sodium-reduced diets. And since I inherited their tendency for high blood pressure, it's become my standard way of cooking and also of buying food.
Other spices can nicely compensate for salt; there are low- to no-sodium broths; Goya sells low-sodium beans.
I like cooking with wine and/or lemon, vinegar: acidic stuff, as mentioned above. Wine as a deglazer makes a nice sauce, too, when the "schmutzy" pan is sauteed with onion and garlic, and then wine poured in to clean the "schmutz" off (civilized, non-Brooklynites call it "fond"). Religiously, I read labels for sodium. Places like Pret a Manger are cooperative and help me to narrow my choices down (which is a shame because so many of their food causes me to choose against them based on sodium, but, well....).
And then, sometimes, I just grin and bear it - tomorrow there's an office party. I'm going to relax and eat.1 -
If you're in a hot area and sweat more during the summer then you certainly need enough sodium as your body needs it to run properly. Thus don't try to reduce sodium just like that.1
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And, water retention causes high blood pressure, not sodium. So, if there is a water retention problem which is evidenced by swollen ankles in almost every instance, one should reduce sodium. High blood pressure in the absence of symptoms of water retention should be controlled by Rx medications. The only safe approach.3
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If you're in a hot area and sweat more during the summer then you certainly need enough sodium as your body needs it to run properly. Thus don't try to reduce sodium just like that.
We are in the Deep South. It's 9 PM and still 85 degrees with 90% humidity. Definitely hot climate.
Our a/c went out last week. It was not pleasant.
My daughter just said. "It's cold in here" Lol
We're at. 77 thanks to a/c!0 -
wilson10102018 wrote: »And, water retention causes high blood pressure, not sodium. So, if there is a water retention problem which is evidenced by swollen ankles in almost every instance, one should reduce sodium. High blood pressure in the absence of symptoms of water retention should be controlled by Rx medications. The only safe approach.
Usually it's my fingers that get puffy not my ankles. And no it's every now and then which could also be allergies and not just sodium.
Blood pressure was fine last time.
May be a stupid question but here goes:
So sodium won't affect cholesterol?0 -
Your nutritionist may not have enough qualifications to help either one of you. If you are in the states you should see a registered dietition not a nutritionist.
I would get an inexpensive BP cuff to chart how your BP is now before cutting sodium for no good reason. It is very important to keep your path forward as simple as possible.
I would check out the gaining weight forum here for ideas for your husband.
Thanks. Will definitely check it out.0 -
carlaringuette wrote: »wilson10102018 wrote: »And, water retention causes high blood pressure, not sodium. So, if there is a water retention problem which is evidenced by swollen ankles in almost every instance, one should reduce sodium. High blood pressure in the absence of symptoms of water retention should be controlled by Rx medications. The only safe approach.
Usually it's my fingers that get puffy not my ankles. And no it's every now and then which could also be allergies and not just sodium.
Blood pressure was fine last time.
May be a stupid question but here goes:
So sodium won't affect cholesterol?
Sodium reduction is known to decrease blood pressure, but I recently read that reducing sodium can actually increase one's cholesterol.
ETA: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5908596/0 -
All of this discussion of limiting sodium got me curious so I went back to check my historical blood test results. There is a very narrow range of serum sodium but it takes a lot to get you either too high or too low. As mentioned above, I eat reduced sodium when I can but I also don't track it so I really don't know exactly how much I am taking in (especially when not paying attention to my diet). My reduced sodium was originally because of bad PMS but now it is because of taste.
For the fun of it I also added my potassium. You can tell exactly when my Dr. prescribed a potassium supplement and how level it has been ever since.
ETA: I LOVE MyChart. I can be a bit of a data nerd.
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