sodium

ckoch1992
ckoch1992 Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
any sugguestions on food that is low in sodium and calories? i am staying under my calorie goal but at the end of the day my sodium intake is always over my goal.


thanks in advance!

Replies

  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    Without seeing your food diary, it is difficult to determine what is causing you to go over on your sodium and make suggestions on lower sodium/calorie foods.
  • lemur_lady
    lemur_lady Posts: 350 Member
    How much processed stuff are you eating? I find my sodium is high on days when I eat lots of processed things, or when I eat things like bacon or sausages.
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    Just check the nutrition labels for lower sodium options. This chart might help.

    Low Sodium =/< 140mg
    Very low sodium =/< 35mg
    Sodium Free < 5 mg
    Reduced Sodium < 25% of original product

    I have to watch my sodium so I just replaced as much as I could with lower sodium options.

    As the about poster said it is hard to give advice when we don't know what it is that you are eating.
  • drojen
    drojen Posts: 203 Member
    I watch my sodium as well due to high blood pressure. Here is what I do: buy low or no- sodium options whenever possible, make as much from scratch as I can, if a recipe calls for salt, I omit it, read labels and compare brands etc, find the lowest sodium option that you like. You still have to like what you are eating, after all. You get used to lower salt over time and things taste just as good without it - at least I think so. I find that now when I do have something higher in salt, it makes me very thirsty! And there are times, like when eating out or at someone else's home, my sodium will just be higher that day. I don't sweat it when it's over once in a while. Sometimes you just have to have something and not worry too much about calorie, sodium, fat etc. content.
  • susie3g
    susie3g Posts: 267
    Fresh or frozen veggies should have little to no sodium. Anything that comes in a can (except fruit) is WAY high in sodium, so better off to buy fresh/frozen veggies. Use swiss or mozzarella instead of cheddar cheese, saves a little sodium. Salt can be removed from any recipe except from those containing yeast. Use orange or pineapple juice for meat marinades instead of the salty store-bought stuff. Nearly every processed food item I have come across has a lot of sodium.. canned soups, entrees, veggies, pasta, rice mixes, frozen dinners, instant cereal... so use processed food items moderately unless they specify they are low-sodium. Avoid seasonings that have salt in them, such as garlic salt, Lawry's, etc. If you are watching sodium, you DO NOT want anything pickled! Not sauerkraut, pickles, banana pepper rings, pickled beets, olives.. nothing pickled. As far as what you *can* eat on a low-sodium diet? I'm still trying to figure that one out for myself..lol. Good luck!
  • meganjcallaghan
    meganjcallaghan Posts: 949 Member
    I do low sodium because of slightly high blood pressure as well as I'm trying to give away a kidney so I've been getting used to how I'll have to eat for the rest of time with only one of those. I think my diary is open. feel free to see what I eat. Mostly it means no adding salt to anything (unless I'm low....you should be at least 1500 mg a day). If I must use soy sauce I use the low sodium stuff and not much of it. If I am having chips I get the lightly salted.. Get used to using herbs instead of salt to season things. Garlic powder is a good one (watch to make sure you you don't grab garlic salt. they look much the same).

    Pretty much avoiding processed foods, certain types of meat (red meat, turkey), and large amounts of cheese will bring you in under the 2300 mark every day.
  • gmoneycole
    gmoneycole Posts: 813 Member
    Here's what I did / do. I eat things I like. I try to eat mostly healthy, but that doesn't always work out so I control the quantities. Monitor what you eat and track the sodium intake when you log everything. Keep trying different healthy foods and find things you like I'm sure you will find some staples that you'll stick with that are low in sodium.

    Good luck!
  • alasin1derland
    alasin1derland Posts: 575 Member
    the bulk food store carries nuts and pretzels with no salt. use mrs. dash instead of salt for your meats and fish. buy fresh meats and veggies and cook them without salt. fresh fruits and veggies, read the labels
  • LloydJensen
    LloydJensen Posts: 7 Member
    Hunt's makes a no salt added tomato sauce, Green Giant has no salt/sugar added canned corn. Campbell's has no salt added broths. Most pastas have little sodium and many varieties of rice have low sodium. One has to be constantly on the lookout for the low sodium products but they are out there. Between all these and fresh produce it isn't difficult to get sodium down to the 1500mg/day level. I've set my goal at 1800 but have only exceeded it on a couple of occasions in the past 90 days.
  • ckoch1992
    ckoch1992 Posts: 2
    Thank you all for your wonderful sugguestions. I hadnt thought about switching out my seasonings or even looking for lower sodium. I have a very hetic schedule so i eat a lot of soups and the green giant steamers because they are good on the go. i dont really want to set my food diary to open due to some competition with family. But i am finding even the heart healthy soups i am eating are high in sodium. for snacks i have things like wheat thins and cheesesticks a lot, and thats where most of my sodium is coming from. if anyone has any sugguestions for quick snacks on the go id appreciate it. in the mornings i often have fresh fruit for breakfast and i have a huge salad with fresh veggies every night.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    Generally fresh food that you prepare yourself will be much lower than eating prepackaged food and tinned soup etc.
  • lovelayla
    lovelayla Posts: 123
    100 calorie almond/walnut packs and apples....great on the go and will last in your purse for awhile.
  • Gingycat40
    Gingycat40 Posts: 18 Member
    I just spoke to a Dietician today and the sodium daily amount has been changed to 1500 mgs a day.
    In order to achieve this..avoid anything processed .. canned, frozen foods. The already cooked chickens.

    I am battling with getting to the 1600 calorie a day mark and now reducing the sodium as I think MFP had it around 2300 mg a day.

    Fresh .. fruit, vegetables and meats one prepares .. are the best options.. once you add in your milk, yogurt, bread, eggs etc.
    it does not take long for the sodium mg to add up.

    Good luck !
  • kmaley1
    kmaley1 Posts: 1
    Hi All

    I have a question.

    MFP has my daily sodium intake goal at 2300mg as stated previously.

    Is there any way to edit this and lower it?

    I have high bp and would really like to keep an eye on this.

    Thanks!
  • LloydJensen
    LloydJensen Posts: 7 Member
    Select "My Home", select "goals", select "change goals", opt for "custom", enter new sodium goal and select "change goals". I have mine set at 1800.
  • meganjcallaghan
    meganjcallaghan Posts: 949 Member
    I just spoke to a Dietician today and the sodium daily amount has been changed to 1500 mgs a day.
    In order to achieve this..avoid anything processed .. canned, frozen foods. The already cooked chickens.

    I am battling with getting to the 1600 calorie a day mark and now reducing the sodium as I think MFP had it around 2300 mg a day.

    Fresh .. fruit, vegetables and meats one prepares .. are the best options.. once you add in your milk, yogurt, bread, eggs etc.
    it does not take long for the sodium mg to add up.

    Good luck !

    1500 mg per day is the minimum required intake to keep sodium levels balanced. 2300 is the upper intake. People who are meant to watch their intake should be between 1500 and 1700, but by no means is 1500 the acceptable UI limit

    http://www.iom.edu/Global/News Announcements/~/media/442A08B899F44DF9AAD083D86164C75B.ashx - here is a reference table for the various age groups.
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    Those processed foods will do it every time. Switching salt for things like Mrs. Dash helps a lot.
  • ElvenToad
    ElvenToad Posts: 644 Member
    Buy fresh Chicken breasts, bake them in the oven with Mrs Dash (no salt) and a tiny bit of olive oil. Low Cal, low sodium, big protein! I do this and then cut them up to add in rice, pita's, or salad throughout the week. Also uncooked rice (I buy brown rice) in the bags and cook it yourself, throw in some of that chicken, and tons of fresh or frozen veggies, eggs if you want. You can make a big pot and store it in the fridge to heat up throughout the week. Snacks... whole almonds have zero sodium, unsweetened applesauce, yogurt & granola are low, healthy popcorn, Dark Mocha Almond Kashi bars nom!
  • D_T_H
    D_T_H Posts: 39 Member
    club house has several really good no sodium seasoning I like a lot better than ms dash you do get used to the no added salt still some days I go over my sodium but not too often especially compared to before I started logging my foods on this site which was a huge wake up call and showed me where it was coming from fast food and canned soup not to mention my seasoning of choice used to be seasoning salt
  • Xingy01
    Xingy01 Posts: 83 Member
    I eat cabbage a few days a week. It's low in calories and sodium...and you can eat a lot of it if you really feel hungry and are scared of going over on your calories. There's only about 300 calories in an entire head of cabbage.

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