Low sodium foods?

Booze

Anyone have any easy low sodium food ideas? I'm finding that everything that is quick and easy seems to be super high in sodium.

Thanks!

havingitall

Fresh veggies!

Wecandothis

When I started here I was SHOCKED at how much sodium I was eating! I woudln't even LOG anything because it looked so terrible!

I have found that the only way to get away from sodium is to use fresh and/or raw foods. Veggies, and fruit. It's awful how much sodium we take in - and we don't balance that with potassium - they should always go hand in hand. But again, to increase potassium while lowering sodium intake - for me - FRESH fruits and veggies were the way to go. No cans. No packages. Fresh.

And once you get used to it, it's very easy. You can buy baby carrots that don't require peeling or cutting. and you can cut a zucchini very quickly.

I purchase melon and cut them up, throw them in a big tupperware bin and stick them in the fridge - it's work to cut them, but then they are super quick. Blueberries and strawberries just need rinsed off - quick. Peaches, plums, apples - just wash and eat.

So... no packages, or cans. It's just a matter of changing the way you think. And knowing that the time invested in cutting, chopping and carving is time very well spent.

And trust me, once you get past the preparation the taste alone is enough to motivate you to keep doing it.

Booze

Thank you so much! :flowerforyou:

queen3510

Anyone have any easy low sodium food ideas? I'm finding that everything that is quick and easy seems to be super high in sodium.

Thanks!

I was introduced to Ezekiel Low Sodium Sprouted Grain bread. It's refrigerated, taste better toasted and has no sodium. I love bread and this has helped tremendously in keeping my sodium level down. I also use Breakstone Unsalted Butter, and no salt seasonings like Mrs. Dash.

I started with replacing one item at a time with a lower sodium version and most of that is to use fresh or frozen vegetables and fruits (if using canned, look for those labeled no salt added or low sodium ). Fresh is definitely a good choice and like kurneckc said, it does involve work but so worth it.

I make my search for lower sodium products into a weekly challenge and see how many of my regular product I can find a lower sodium version.

Hope this helps.

gemiwing

I second the Ezekiel low sodium bread- it's actually sodium free And it makes the Best.Toast.Ever.

One of my biggest issues was I love sandwiches. Love love love 'em. There isn't any pre-cut meat that doesn't have too much sodium, imho. Or not that I've found. I started buying the meat and slicing it myself. It helps that I like thick slices of meat- not the paper-thin kind that's the fashion now.

Be wary of anything, meat included, that is pre-packaged. Even if you buy a turkey- if it comes in a plastic wrapper then it has sodium added (general rule). Buy your meat from the meat department, not by the sandwich department. Even chicken breasts from Tyson have added sodium. Chicken in the meat dept doesn't have anything in it but meat.

Become a label reader- even on items that you wouldn't think have added sodium. Also I've found that most 'light' or 'diet' or 'fat free' products have more sodium and the fat content difference was negligable at best.

Good luck! :flowerforyou:

queen3510

Thanks Gemiwing for that tip on the meat. That was definitely a eye opener for me and I will be buying my meats from the meat dept from now on. Great tip.

I love, love sandwiches too and have been very disappointed in the amount of sodium in the lunch meat. Haven't had a good low sodium sandwich in a while.

Ezekiel tastes really good as french toast too!

mrd232

One tip with some tinned products is to rinse before use. It's helpful in removing some of the salty packaged water or juice (especially true for beans).

Another tip is to watch on "roasted" nuts, butters, etc. Some are salted very heavily. Go for raw or plain when possible.

Lunch meat can be a salt pit. An option is to pre cook chicken breasts, whole chickens or turkeys, and cut up the meat for use later in the week. I sometimes find meats smoked or prepared by local delis are less salty than national brands, but it's not always the case.

Jerky is the same story. If you're a big fan of jerky, there's ways to make it at home using less salt and none of the preservatives used in the store-bought stuff.

Another HUGE tip is to flavor foods with spice I love fresh ground pepper and cumin.