Help with sodium!

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reba971
reba971 Posts: 80
in Food and Nutrition
Wow! I cannot believe the sodium in some foods. I just started paying attention to my sodium levels because I feel totally bloated lately and I am always over on my sodium...today my calories are almost perfect, but I am over by 800 in sodium...great am I gonna be bloated again tomorrow?
Can anyone help me with foods that are low sodium, low calorie and also taste good.
I have learned from viewing my own diary that most cheese is high is sodium, so I will cut out some cheese. I usually eat the low fat or fat free kind and I don't really like it anyway. But what else can I cut and what can I add?
Thanks for all your help.
Also, if I drink more water will this help? I had about 11 glasses yesterday and I still feel bloated today. Today I am at about 9 so far.

Replies

  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
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    More water helps, yes.

    Really, the only way to manage sodium is to cut out most porcessed and restaurant foods. Anything that comes out of a bag, box or can or pre-prepared will be chock-a-block with sodium, as will most restaurant meals.

    Low-fat and non-fat versions of foods are often high in either/or sodium or sugar because something has to make up for the flavor lost with teh fat.
  • Lollyvoddy
    Lollyvoddy Posts: 194 Member
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    I struggle with sodium too, I've already used half of today's allowance on breakfast! My best advice is to make sure you log things before you eat them, so you can see how much sodium you are having and whether it will put you over. Take care :)
  • luppic8
    luppic8 Posts: 580 Member
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    I use sea salt or Mrs. Dash when I cook.
  • ambie35
    ambie35 Posts: 853 Member
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    As far as the cheese goes,if you get the regular stuff (which tastes so much better anyways) it is usually lower in sodium,you just have to be more careful with portion size.
    Fresh fruit and veggies don't have much or in most cases ANY sodium. Clean eating really is the way to go.:)
  • muriah2
    muriah2 Posts: 143 Member
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    Atl is right, swap out as many canned/boxed foods as you can with fresh. Dried beans instead of canned, fresh or frozen veggies instead of canned, regular rice instead of instant, etc. You will also find that you will save more money this way as well :)
  • ShellyMacchi
    ShellyMacchi Posts: 975 Member
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    feel free to browse my diary if you'd like.. it is public... and i keep my sodium intake below 1500 every day with little problem.

    The biggest culprits for sodium are processed meats (sausages, deli meats etc), restaurant foods, and pre-prepared foods (frozen meals and veg). Also canned soups are killer bad for sodium.

    The more of your own 'from scratch' preparation you do for your foods, the easier it is to control the salt *S*

    good luck!
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
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    I looked at your diary and have a couple ideas!

    Instead of the Quaker Instant Oatmeal packets, make Quaker old-fashioned rolled oats (without the optional salt). Add your own fruit, honey, sugar and nuts and your oatmeal becomes practically sodium free.

    Instead of Kraft Singles Cheese, get Baby Swiss cheese. I really love the Boar's Head Lacy Swiss. A slice of it has 35mg of sodium, compared to 230mg of sodium in the Kraft Single.

    Instead of processed lunch meat, roast your own chicken/turkey/eye of round beef and slice it thinly for lunch meat.

    Just a few thoughts! :-)
  • denitraross
    denitraross Posts: 325 Member
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    Stay away from anything frozen - like lean cuisine lunches, etc.....stay away from can soup - super high in sodium.....look at all the labels of food when you buy them - lots of things are made with no salt added now like pasta sauce, canned corn, etc.....when I read the labels and the calories only differ by say 50, but one has less sodium - I choose the lower sodium version......

    I used to eat alot of Subway (turkey & ham because it was the lowest in fat/calories)...I cut most of it out and only get it in a pinch and if I do - I go for the chicken, 1/3 less sodium.....

    basically shop smarter and prepare you own things instead of prepackaged...
  • PlanetVelma
    PlanetVelma Posts: 1,231 Member
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    Honestly, there are lots of things you could do to cut down on your sodium - as an example, instead of buying pre-packaged oatmeal - buy plain regular oatmeal and make your own brown sugar oatmeal (it'll take a bit more time, but it will be worth it). I read an article somewhere you can make oatmeal the day before and just heat it up when you're ready to eat.

    Instead of using deli sandwich meats - try making sandwiches with leftover shredded chicken or thinly sliced steak.

    One thing that works for me - if i go over on sodium I add sliced lemon to my water and that really helps flush the sodium out and I don't feel as bloated...

    I get migraines triggered by sodium so I try to watch what i'm eating/drinking....well most of the time. LOL
  • sweetCJ
    sweetCJ Posts: 144
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    I made homemade soup with fresh veggies, very low sodium organic vegetable broth , barley and green lentill...In one cup of soup, I only have 40mg of sodium(yes 40, not 400) and it fills me up big time since I added chicken. I also eat a spinach salad with fresh veggie, so my lunch is not just a soup. I put a bit to much barley and lentill, so my soup looks like a stew, but it still taste awesome.

    And yes water is good thingt. 11 glass per day is great. Keep up the great work on the water!

    And I do agree that everything allready made for you on the grocery shelf, is loaded with sodium.
  • bparsont
    bparsont Posts: 50
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    I agree with Atlantique, anything prepared not by you is gonna have a ton of salt. you'll need to start eating whole foods and watch the labeling. how is your BP? that's a good indication if you are eating too much salt.
  • MintyStarshine
    MintyStarshine Posts: 91
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    I've learned that a lot of foods that are "low fat" or "no fat" are actually high in sodium, especially dairy products and prepackaged products. Seriously. Next time you go to buy cheese, look at the labels. I was initially buying Kraft's Fat Free Mozzarella cheese for anything and everything but when I looked at the label, it had tons more sodium than the normal fat version. I switched to the normal kind right away because I don't have problems with keeping my fat intake under control, but I have a huge problem with keeping sodium under control.

    The same goes for Ranch dressing, cream cheese, and other dairy foods.
  • annacataldo
    annacataldo Posts: 872 Member
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    today--u ate croutons---dont--loaded with butter, salt, etc..

    most days i loocked back u were eating kraft singles--dont---high in sodium--fake processed cheese--eat real cheese.
    One day i saw mayo--dont eat mayo--use a plain yogurt for moisture in sandwich or like in tuna replace mayo for yogurt--much less calories--much better for u.. etc..

    more water (take ur weight, divide by 15--that is number of cups to drink a day). helps flush excess sodium.

    More veggies, less processed foods. Canned soups--look for low sodium ones. Just cuz something is low cal doesnt mean they didnt increase sodium to increase flavor. look for low sodium versions, or different brands might have less sodium.. I try to stay away from canned foods, sodium is so high--it helps the shelve life.
  • annacataldo
    annacataldo Posts: 872 Member
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    salad dressing has alot of sodium--season salads with garlic powder/red pepper flakes/pepper, etc.. I dont season any food with anything that has sodium (no onion salt, garlic salt, salt, etc), i season most foods with those seasonings, sometimes adding some italian seasoning for more flavor.
  • Valtishia
    Valtishia Posts: 811 Member
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    If you add me, you can take a peek at my diary for ideas.
  • PlanetVelma
    PlanetVelma Posts: 1,231 Member
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    today--u ate croutons---dont--loaded with butter, salt, etc..

    most days i loocked back u were eating kraft singles--dont---high in sodium--fake processed cheese--eat real cheese.
    One day i saw mayo--dont eat mayo--use a plain yogurt for moisture in sandwich or like in tuna replace mayo for yogurt--much less calories--much better for u.. etc..

    more water (take ur weight, divide by 15--that is number of cups to drink a day). helps flush excess sodium.

    More veggies, less processed foods. Canned soups--look for low sodium ones. Just cuz something is low cal doesnt mean they didnt increase sodium to increase flavor. look for low sodium versions, or different brands might have less sodium.. I try to stay away from canned foods, sodium is so high--it helps the shelve life.

    Sometimes I make my tuna w/ just a bit of olive oil & chopped up egg, jalepeno and whatever else looks good or I'll use mustard. Mmm...sooo good! LOL
  • reba971
    reba971 Posts: 80
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    Thank you Thank you Thank you!
    Some really good info and great ideas! I am learning so much today!

    "I get migraines triggered by sodium so I try to watch what I'm eating/drinking....well most of the time. LOL"
    this info floored me because I have had a headache since about 3 this afternoon, right about the time I noticed my sodium was already high for the day!

    I am so impressed at those of you who went and took a look at my diary. It is a mess and I know that, I am working on it. The info you provided will help a ton with that.
    Deli ham/turkey floored me...I thought that stuff was supposed to be good for me?!?!?!? I don't really even like lunch meat sandwiches! UGH! I am NEVER gonna listen to diet hype anymore without checking out ALL the nutrition info. How does Subway get away with being "healthy"??????

    I knew the croutons were bad, my kids eat them all the time just croutons dipped in ranch! It is SO good...I just had to sneak a few. This is something I Am also working on. Sneaking a bite here and there when I am making meals, snacks ect.
    Anyway, thank you all so much I am gonna go look at some of your diary's and get some more ideas.
  • MintyStarshine
    MintyStarshine Posts: 91
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    Actually, Subway is aware of it's problems with sodium. In the last few years, they've managed to shave off hundreds of mg of sodium from sandwiches and I recently read an article about how they're planning to reduce the sodium levels even less.

    Here's a place to read up on it: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/subway-cuts-salt-fresh-fit-sandwiches/story?id=13399837
  • reba971
    reba971 Posts: 80
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    Thanks! I am getting a notebook to write down all these great tips. I now take a whole notebook with me to the grocery store when I go!
  • farmgirl88
    farmgirl88 Posts: 91 Member
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    I sometimes find it helpful to do a mini detox to "reset" my taste buds. If you eat lots of raw fruit and veggies, don't add salt to any of your food, and avoid packaged/processed food for even just a few days, your taste buds begin to appreciate the flavors of the foods themselves and will be able to tell you when something is too salty or too sugary.

    I totally agree with the above posts--try eating as "real" of food as you can. The more processed it is, the more salt and sugar it will have. Both salt and sugar are preservatives as well as flavor-enhancers that marketers use to hook you on their products, so you better believe they're going to cram as much as they can into every bite to make sure you'll be coming back for more.

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