SALT

MensEtSalvere2013
MensEtSalvere2013 Posts: 230 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Why is everthing so high in salt when low in fat? any tips to cut out salt? Are higher calorie vinigarettes actually better to have? I LOVE salads
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Replies

  • SailorKnightWing
    SailorKnightWing Posts: 875 Member
    Because fat makes food delicious and when you remove the delicious fats, they have to make it delicious without it. Therefore, they add a lot of salt and/or sugar.
  • MizTerry
    MizTerry Posts: 3,763 Member
    ^^^
    I'd have to agree with her.
  • ritchiedrama
    ritchiedrama Posts: 1,304 Member
    Just eat it, it won't kill you. Stop worryin'
  • briabner
    briabner Posts: 427 Member
    I have the same problem with my sodium intake. I have been noticing that it mainly comes from processed foods. Try cutting down on processed foods, especially try to eliminate canned foods. As for the vinaigrette for salads try making your own. If you are on pinterest try looking up some recipes for them. I would suggest EVOO based vinaigrettes. I know for sure if you make your own you can cut the sodium way down.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Because fat makes food delicious and when you remove the delicious fats, they have to make it delicious without it. Therefore, they add a lot of salt and/or sugar.

    Yes, this^^

    I make my own salad dressings with olive oil, vinegar and spices. Sometimes I add hot sauce or some type of mustard or reduced sodium soy sauce. I have a hard time keeping my fat under control, but it hasn't inhibited my weight loss.
  • Salt_Sand_Sun
    Salt_Sand_Sun Posts: 415 Member
    To help preserve the flavor after taking away the fat.

    Buy low sodium when possible. Its tricky at first but reducing sodium can be done!!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Just eat it, it won't kill you. Stop worryin'

    You have no idea whether it will kill her or not.
  • MensEtSalvere2013
    MensEtSalvere2013 Posts: 230 Member
    Thanks for the idea! Also, I like your profile pic! I LOVE Life Is Good brand!!!
    Because fat makes food delicious and when you remove the delicious fats, they have to make it delicious without it. Therefore, they add a lot of salt and/or sugar.

    Yes, this^^

    I make my own salad dressings with olive oil, vinegar and spices. Sometimes I add hot sauce or some type of mustard or reduced sodium soy sauce. I have a hard time keeping my fat under control, but it hasn't inhibited my weight loss.
  • hannamarie88
    hannamarie88 Posts: 231 Member
    I wish I had an answer. It's probably just that salt makes things taste better lol. I watch my sodium and try to keep it at/under 2500mg per day. Just look at labels in the grocery store and avoid super high sodium things. My mind is always blown when I see the amount of sodium they put in soup. Also look for "low sodium" labeled things. Good luck!
  • helenrosemay
    helenrosemay Posts: 375 Member
    I've been trying to cut down my salt intake (on doctor's advice) so I eat a lot more fresh foods and a lot less processed foods. I still have the odd tin of beans, but it's amazing how many foods have salt in.
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    The post above yours on the message board was titled "Vinegar" and now I want salt & vinegar chips. Sorry, that's all I have.
  • ritchiedrama
    ritchiedrama Posts: 1,304 Member
    Just eat it, it won't kill you. Stop worryin'

    You have no idea whether it will kill her or not.

    Well, lets be realistic here and not over-dramatic.
  • MamaCatO
    MamaCatO Posts: 100
    Just eat it, it won't kill you. Stop worryin'

    Umm... if she has heart problems it could. I have congestive heart failure. I can't have that much salt.

    OP, cook your own foods. I very rarely eat prepackaged stuff, it's all high in sodium. And yes, when they take the fat out of things they need to add flavor. Not to mention, sodium is a preservative, so double sodium there. I cook all my own meals and use Mrs Dash for seasoning. Works perfect for me. Hubby, the salt junkie hates it though. lol
  • ritchiedrama
    ritchiedrama Posts: 1,304 Member
    Just eat it, it won't kill you. Stop worryin'

    Umm... if she has heart problems it could. I have congestive heart failure. I can't have that much salt.

    OP, cook your own foods. I very rarely eat prepackaged stuff, it's all high in sodium. And yes, when they take the fat out of things they need to add flavor. Not to mention, sodium is a preservative, so double sodium there. I cook all my own meals and use Mrs Dash for seasoning. Works perfect for me. Hubby, the salt junkie hates it though. lol

    "If"

    "Could"

    I am so sorry that you have congestive heart failure, but if the OP doesn't say she has congested heart failure (you'd think she, would, right?)

    Stop.
  • FerretBuellerr
    FerretBuellerr Posts: 468 Member
    Just make your own salad dressings with vinegar and olive oil. That's what I've been doing for a few months now to cut out GM additives in my food. It's much healthier to make your own anyways! Just Google it!
  • lynnlc
    lynnlc Posts: 12
    Sodium lurks in most processed "foods"- it's a preservative and flavor enhancer.

    As someone who loves to cook and makes lots of homemade things, I usually don't even come close to 2500 mg of sodium (unless I succumb to my potato chip weakness...mmm). However, I know most people are not this way. In addition to what others have said (low sodium products, fresh foods): rinse off things like canned beans/corn/etc if you use them, it will get rid of some of the salt. If you don't want to chop up fresh veggies, try frozen - they don't have as much (if any) added salt (at least the ones I buy, check the label!)

    I love making my own salad dressing! My favorite recipe is .5 tblsp extra virgin olive oil, .5 tblsp apple cider vinegar, pinch of sugar, pinch of salt, and a good healthy dose of chipotle chili powder. Spicy salads are somehow way more delicious to me.
  • cw822
    cw822 Posts: 107
    make your own
  • starryvagabond
    starryvagabond Posts: 60 Member
    I've been cutting down on salt for about a year and a half now due to medical problems. You'll lose your taste for it, trust me.

    As for salad dressing: mix a tablespoon of olive oil with a tablespoon of balsamic vinaigrette. It's great :)
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,286 Member
    my husband has to keep his sodium around 1,000 mg a day. This is very HARD. TBH he/we normally land around 1200-1400, which is still great and keeps his Dr. happy. Honestly I think they gave him such a low goal because they knew he would go over a bit and going over 1,000 a bit is better than going over 1,500 a bit. But, once we got used to it, it got easier. Want to have spaghetti for dinner? Measure those ingredients and your serving and then make sure you have a salad for lunch, or something else with no to hardly any sodium. We make a lot of our own stuff: roast our own peanuts, slice our own lunch meat, etc. If you are serious about cutting it out, you certainly can!! Also, avocado oil is great for making dressings and IMO tastes better than olive oil if you're getting sick of it.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    OP..IMHO, if a food is naturally high in fat then it's just better to eat it that way. As others have stated, when food is processed to reduce natural fat content, that content is just replaced with salt and sugar to make it taste good. Personally, I think people do themselves a big disservice by trying to cut out the fat...fat doesn't make you fat and is actually essential for weight loss in that in regulates hormones. I've personally thought it always better to just have the real deal rather than something processed and marketed as "healthy" because it's low fat or no fat or whatever.

    If you really want to cut down on sodium intake, your best bet is more fresh, whole foods and less commercially processed foods.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Just eat it, it won't kill you. Stop worryin'

    You have no idea whether it will kill her or not.

    Well, lets be realistic here and not over-dramatic.

    I wasn't being over-dramatic. High sodium diets can cause or worsen many medical conditions. Eating too much could realistically hasten her death.
  • angieochoa1201
    angieochoa1201 Posts: 105
    I usually don't have any problem with my sodium intake for me its the sugar
  • strongmindstrongbody
    strongmindstrongbody Posts: 315 Member
    I have congestive heart failure. I can't have that much salt.

    I knew salt was bad for people with high blood pressure, but never heard of too much salt being linked with heart disease. Googled and saw there may be a link with stomach cancer and bone loss as well. I learned something new; thank you! Gives me incentive to lower my sodium intake (I'm just about always over).
  • sizzle74
    sizzle74 Posts: 858 Member
    Just eat it, it won't kill you. Stop worryin'

    Ignorance is bliss.
  • mmm_drop
    mmm_drop Posts: 1,126 Member
    I am a lover of salads as well.

    I have mostly done away with prepackaged salad dressing though and have switched to oil and vinegar and/or lime or lemon.
  • helenrosemay
    helenrosemay Posts: 375 Member
    Just eat it, it won't kill you. Stop worryin'

    You have no idea whether it will kill her or not.

    Well, lets be realistic here and not over-dramatic.

    Obviously the OP want's to reduce her salt, or wouldn't have even started this post, so saying "just eat it, it won't kill you, Stop worrying" isn't very helpful is it.
  • evdenapoli
    evdenapoli Posts: 164 Member
    I make my own dressings so I can control the sodium.
  • evdenapoli
    evdenapoli Posts: 164 Member
    I make my own dressings so I can control the sodium.
    As I am a salad fanatic myself ????
  • LorienCoffeeBean
    LorienCoffeeBean Posts: 227 Member
    i buy a decent balsamic vinegar and love salad with just a bit of that drizzled on it. you can mix with olive oil and some seasonings as well adn control the salt
  • scottogle
    scottogle Posts: 1 Member
    In addition to lowering salt intake, think about increasing your Potassium intake. Increasing potassium intake improves the sodium-potassium balance of the body and enables the body to excrete sodium. Read up on the D.A.S.H. diet for more info.

    http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/food-sources-of-potassium.php

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