Is Sodium in EVERYTHING??

Gizziemoto

I am on BP meds and sodium sensitive. I just purchased the DASH diet book and will be starting that soon. Potassium and magnesium help get rid of the sodium in your system. The DASH recommends 1500 - 2000 mg per day. Sodium is in everything! I have become an avid label reader and was shocked to see that even carrorts have some sodium in them. I purchase no salt added veggies and low sodium items when ever possible. If you purchase canned veggies I was told to drain, rinse and then cook in a little water.

My hubby found a very low sodium ketchup too.

DLKeeble

I watch sodium and try to keep it 2300 per day. I'm prehypertensive and ordered to be on the DASH diet. I've had to change the types of foods I eat and pay more attention to sodium counts than anything else. If I'm having a highish sodium meal, I'll balance it out with pasta and homemade sauce for one meal, or h ave rice as a side, or get as much potassium as I can in the hopes that it will beat out sodium for making molecules. :laugh:

Here's a site that has a listing of low sodium labels: http://www.lowsaltfoods.com/default.htm

I love cheese and I've cut cottage cheese out of my life (450Na per 1/2 cup). Armstrong cheese is as low sodium as I've found and eating Swiss cheese is really low. Looking at your deli for portions off a block or wheel. I traded in Kraft parmesan for a block of parmesan that I grate at home.

Unsalted, roasted nuts are great for snack. I like walnuts and almonds and they have potassium, too.

Unsalted butter is nice, but it has a ton of fat.

Does potassium supplements help as well? I know I should try to get it from fresh foods, but it is nearly impossible for me.

maryjay51

i gave up salad dressing when i turned 50. i eat spinach leaves and or spring greens ..its what you put on the salad that adds flavor. if you simply must have salad dressing try to make your own or put some in a small dipping dish and use it that way. my salt intake drastically became reduced when i stopped eating processed foods. of course once in a while i indulge but does my body ever feel it. once you rid yourself of foods like that you will be surprised how your body reacts to it if you have some. ..if you happen to have more sodium than usual, ramp up the water intake to flush it out. otherwise you will retain water

diadojikohei

I watch sodium and try to keep it 2300 per day. I'm prehypertensive and ordered to be on the DASH diet. I've had to change the types of foods I eat and pay more attention to sodium counts than anything else. If I'm having a highish sodium meal, I'll balance it out with pasta and homemade sauce for one meal, or h ave rice as a side, or get as much potassium as I can in the hopes that it will beat out sodium for making molecules. :laugh:

Here's a site that has a listing of low sodium labels: http://www.lowsaltfoods.com/default.htm

I love cheese and I've cut cottage cheese out of my life (450Na per 1/2 cup). Armstrong cheese is as low sodium as I've found and eating Swiss cheese is really low. Looking at your deli for portions off a block or wheel. I traded in Kraft parmesan for a block of parmesan that I grate at home.

Unsalted, roasted nuts are great for snack. I like walnuts and almonds and they have potassium, too.

Unsalted butter is nice, but it has a ton of fat.

Does potassium supplements help as well? I know I should try to get it from fresh foods, but it is nearly impossible for me.

Please don't take potassium supplements if you are on medication for hypertension, check with your doctor. try and get it from food also coconut water is high in potassium but has some sodium in the form of electrolyes.

Penfoldsplace

I never even seem to get close to going over my sodium and I eat processed foods quite a lot. Maybe the numbers on mfp are not always correct for sodium, I usually only double check the calories are correct. I think the only time I have gone over is when I make my own food from scratch funnily enough, I add soy sauce to everything.

I would say making your own dressings etc might help as you know exactly what your putting into them. I flavour things with ginger, herbs instead if I am cooking for friends who have high blood pressure and are watching their sodium.

Edit- typo

tigersword

Good job trying to keep it lower. As mentioned above, if you vary a few hundred up and down, it is okay. I even discovered 1100 mg of sodium in my MEDICATION so I had to switch.

I disagree with many above who said if you don't suffer from hypertension, you don't need to worry about it. As with anything, the cumulative effects of excessive sodium DO play havoc with your body in future years, as does too much fat, too much sugar, etc. It is a good idea to watch it and start monitoring it now. Also, eating less processed foods (to get rid of the salt) is a huge health plus and will also help lose weight so I say.... Keep up the good work! However, if you have a day every now and then when you go over, I wouldn't obsess about it as you want to make this a life-time change.

Okinawans have some of the longest life spans on the planet, and regularly consume two to three times the amount of sodium Americans do. It's really a very tiny minority of people who need to worry about it.