Salt!!! Did you know????

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  • Toddrific
    Toddrific Posts: 1,114 Member
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    I have Mrs. Dash spices that help with replacing salt.

    I've added iodized salt back into my diet as I was getting paranoid about my lack of iodine sources.

    I think the key to really keeping your salt down is to avoid processed foods, they add it like no tomorrow. (even frozen chicken breasts!!!)
  • ShalisaClam
    ShalisaClam Posts: 190
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    I am always over on my sodium. I do not add salt to anything. I drink a large amount of water, but if I am over my sodium for the day, I am bloated & puffy. I do take a water pill on top of that. So, does anyone know - can you just be 'salt sensitive'? I know that salt has no calories, but if you have it it can mask weight loss due to water retention. Is that the only reason?

    I've found for me (I tend to retain water because of heart/kidney issues) that if I have more than 700 or so in one sitting I retain water for the day...if you have a lot of salt (and or sugar) at one time it forces water cells to absorb through your vein walls and into your fat cells. I saw that explanation on a Dr Oz segment on Oprah a long time ago, but it makes sense to me as I have lived it time and time again. I go over sometimes and regret it later but it eventually works its way out of my body over a few days.

    On the other, I use sea salt as well. I do not use it when cooking and only add some to taste when I'm eating as needed to cut down. I've measured the cranks with my smallest measuring spoon. It may not be 100% accurate but I know how to log two or four healthy cranks of my McCormick's grinder lol. If I don't track it I might forget about it and go over my sodium by 200-400 for the day without realizing it. I keep one at my work desk where I tend to eat breakfast and lunch, one by the stove just in case and one at my dining area. I found them really cheap at the Dollar General lol.


    Thx sweetie. It's nice to know I'm not the only one :happy:
  • Butterfly3730
    Butterfly3730 Posts: 220
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    The same way you developed a taste for salt... you can develop a taste for no salt. You will get used to it after a while trust me.

    Exactly! I use fresh herbs, lemon juice and Ms. Dash. I also like spicy so I use Cayenne Pepper. I use to eat an extreme amount of salty foods and now I just can't do it. Taste buds change and my blood pressure is regulating.
  • ShalisaClam
    ShalisaClam Posts: 190
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    I have high blood pressure. So I stopped using salt. Period. I even watch what I add it to when cooking. For instance I made pudding for my kids today from scratch. I did not add salt. Now I notice salt and can't stand the taste of it.


    I like to make smoothies, and for flavor sometimes add a tbsp or instant fat free/sugar free pudding mix. If you ever get the chance, take a look at the salt content in a box of pudding! One would never know!
  • Di3012
    Di3012 Posts: 2,250 Member
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    I don't take any notice of my salt, maybe it's a UK thing, no one really makes a fuss about it? The NHS (national heath service) advise no more than 6g salt a day, which is a full teaspoon. But it's logged on here as mg, so am I right in thinking that's 6000mg? But the default on MFP is 2500mg/day, less than half the recommended UK amount.

    No the recommended daily amount for sodium in the UK for females is 1600mg in the US it is 2400mg.

    http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_milligrams_of_salt_per_day_for_women
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
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    I don't know about salt substitutes, except for fresh herbs and other spices, but I do know that you will lose your taste for it if you cut back the sprinkles and gradually stop adding salt to everything. The amount of sodium in processed foods is alarming isn't it?

    That's true. I couldn't really like things my chef boyfriend cooked for me at first because he was blowing my taste buds out with all the salt. He had no idea he was over-salting everything so much. Now, we don't really add it and he says un- or lightly-salted foods taste a lot better after a few months of cutting back. :)
  • marsellient
    marsellient Posts: 591 Member
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    The recommended sodium for anyone with any indication of high BP is max 1500mg/day. It's not hard to stay within this limit if you avoid restaurants and processed foods, but try going out to eat....yikes! (Thanks to MFP and tracking my BP is back down to the healthy range.)
  • graelwyn
    graelwyn Posts: 1,340 Member
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    I use sea salt on my evening meals. Other than that I don't use it, and I need it I think, as I am struggling to meet my daily sodium needs without it, according to my diary, plus I sweat a lot when I go cycling, which is most days.
  • lauz45
    lauz45 Posts: 243
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    The recommendation is 2500mg of SODIUM per day. 6g (or 6000mg) of SALT has about 2400mg of SODIUM. That's why you're confused :)

    Aha! Thank you, when it's talked about on the news etc they don't use the word sodium, they just say salt. Well that's cleared that up!

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