What's the Skinny on Salt?

androidlady

I recently cut all added sugar from my diet... When I did that, I started eating a lot more veggies, and I noticed my hand reaching for the salt shaker a LOT more often.

I know they say adding salt can add water weight, but I drink so much water (at least 100fl oz/day) that I think I'm flushing all that salt/water retention right out.

But then again, what do I know? In your opinion, does adding salt deter weight loss?

BusyRaeNOTBusty

I don't pay much attention to salt or sugar.

Sarauk2sf

It does not deter fat loss and that is what you should be concerned about (assuming no medical conditions).

I do not pay attention to it (or sugar either).

drmerc

Water won't flush out water weight from eating salt

Mokey41

It won't keep you from losing fat. Unless you have an issue with salt there's no reason to worry about going over the macro's set. If holding a bit of water weight bothers you on the scale that's a different issue.

MoreBean13

In the absence of a medical reason to worry about salt, you don't need to. Eat more potassium if you're worried about bloating. Sodium/potassium balance is far more important than gross sodium intake. Plus, you need a certain amount- it's an essential nutrient, meaning it MUST come from your diet for proper body function.

Chief_Rocka

In the absence of a medical reason to worry about salt, you don't need to. Eat more potassium if you're worried about bloating. Sodium/potassium balance is far more important than gross sodium intake. Plus, you need a certain amount- it's an essential nutrient, meaning it MUST come from your diet for proper body function.

This. Get the salt that has potassium chloride in it.

androidlady

This. Get the salt that has potassium chloride in it.

Where and what is this salt called? I assume I can find it in a Whole Foods...

Also, to everyone, THANK YOU! Thanks for taking the time. I really appreciate it.

Chief_Rocka

This. Get the salt that has potassium chloride in it.

Where and what is this salt called? I assume I can find it in a Whole Foods...

Also, to everyone, THANK YOU! Thanks for taking the time. I really appreciate it.

You can find it at any grocery store right next to the regular, it's usually called "lite" salt or something like that

jessicawrites

Another thing to consider is trying different spices to liven up the veggies. Cumin or curry on cauliflower, nutmeg on string beans, and freshly cracked black pepper on bell peppers or artichokes are all yummy. I've also recently done a green bean salad with a few lightly fried almonds and red onion pickled for half an hour in red wine vinegar with a little salt and sugar, and it was amazing.

It's easy to think of spices as something to put on meat, but they work on the veggies, too!

VelociMama

This. Get the salt that has potassium chloride in it.

Where and what is this salt called? I assume I can find it in a Whole Foods...

Also, to everyone, THANK YOU! Thanks for taking the time. I really appreciate it.

Morton makes a "lite" salt that is good for sprinkling. I don't like it for cooking though. I use regular table salt for that.

Bean is right though. Sodium/Potassium balance is more important than just sodium intake alone.

You should not, however, take a potassium supplement. Unlike sodium, you can actually OD on potassium, so it's best to get it from food or the lite table salt. It's almost impossible to OD on potassium from food.

kristen6022

Salt is yummy

Doberdawn

Have you checked your blood pressure? If not, you should. Salt can be very hazardous to your health if your BP is elevated. So, you should know how it is first. Just sayin. If you don't own a blood pressure monitor, go to a store and use theirs or stop in and ask a Walgreens pharmacist. HBP is the silent killer. A friend of mine just died last week. Very young (48 y/o) leaving behind wife and 2 young girls. Totally unexpected. Died on his couch. Not saying everyone run screaming from salt. I'm saying KNOW YOUR RISKS. If you don't know how your BP is running. CHECK IT OUT! Then decide whether or not you have a health problem that means you need to avoid it. Because MOST people with HBP have NO symptoms and NO CLUE it is high. Just sayin'.

androidlady

Thanks for taking the time to tell me that Doberdawn. I'll definitely check it out.

Doberdawn

Thanks for taking the time to tell me that Doberdawn. I'll definitely check it out.

You're welcome. I decided to do a general post on the forums about this too. Maybe some good can come of Rick's death. So very sad and at this time of year... hard on his girls.

T1mH

I'm eating a lot of fresh veggies and trying to eat less processed foods. I don't feel bad about putting a little salt on them. I figure it has to be far less salt than all the processed foods I used to eat. I've also started trying other things. I sprinkled some parmesian on broccoli last night and it was good.

cwolfman13

Have you checked your blood pressure? If not, you should. Salt can be very hazardous to your health if your BP is elevated. So, you should know how it is first. Just sayin. If you don't own a blood pressure monitor, go to a store and use theirs or stop in and ask a Walgreens pharmacist. HBP is the silent killer. A friend of mine just died last week. Very young (48 y/o) leaving behind wife and 2 young girls. Totally unexpected. Died on his couch. Not saying everyone run screaming from salt. I'm saying KNOW YOUR RISKS. If you don't know how your BP is running. CHECK IT OUT! Then decide whether or not you have a health problem that means you need to avoid it. Because MOST people with HBP have NO symptoms and NO CLUE it is high. Just sayin'.

This 100%. I have hypertension and I have to watch my salt and have to pay very close attention to my potasium/salt balance. My BP has been on the decline since I've been losing weight and watching my diet and exercising, but it's still elevated. Hypertension can be a nasty thing...both my grandpa and my dad had it pretty early on in life and completely ignored it; my grandpa died when a blood vessel exploded in his brain from the pressure and my dad, at the ripe old age of 60 has full blown kidney disease and a host of other issues related to him not addressing his HBP early on.