High Sodium intake?

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ashahl
ashahl Posts: 81
in Food and Nutrition
Is anyone else having a hard time staying within the recommended sodium allowance? I almost never add salt to anything except for scrambled eggs or lentils, yet I am mostly over the amount I should be consuming. I've noticed that most of the highest salt levels are coming from my whole wheat and whole grain carbs like breads and wraps.
But the biggest issue is when I go out to eat! I order something that I believe to be healthy like a sandwich, soup or even a salad but when I record it into my food log the number always astounds me.
Does anyone have any tips for lowering the amount of salt in a diet or determining if something is high in salt when eating out?

Replies

  • Newfiedan
    Newfiedan Posts: 1,517 Member
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    I have changed my diary to show sodium content as well the only real way to stay below in my opnion is to make your own foods and stop using canned or processed foods. I am still struggling with it but this coming week I intend to make my own stuff more to cut it down and get it somewhere close to the recommended amounts.
  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 16,987 Member
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    :flowerforyou: the biggest tips for controlling sodium are to eat less bread and cereal, stay away from packaged, processed foods, don't add salt to anything, and eat at home.:bigsmile:
  • ErinJ1981
    ErinJ1981 Posts: 72
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    Exactly what they said. Limit your processed foods and eat more fresh veggies and lean meats. Sodium is just about in every ffod, so it's hard to avoid. I try to stay under 1500 mg/day, but it's VERY hard. If your drinking enough water, I wouldn't be too concerned with it. Also, the more you sweat during your workouts, the better! =)
  • HealthyishWithMaggieG
    HealthyishWithMaggieG Posts: 397 Member
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    It's a challenge, but possible. I agree that reducing/removing pre-packaged foods from our diets helps. If you cook, use fresh ingredients vs canned or processed. If you must use canned/processed foods, look for those that are "low sodium", "no salt added", etc. Sometimes, it's not much of a difference between those and the regular version, but sometimes the difference is huge. Just check your labels.
  • ashahl
    ashahl Posts: 81
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    I almost never eat processed or junk food. The only pre packaged foods I eat are bread, hummus and cheese. I'm a vegetarian so a main component of my diet is lots of healthy fresh veggies. But I do eat a lot of bread otherwise I can't keep my weight up plus I exercise a lot so I need the carbs.
  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 16,987 Member
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    I almost never eat processed or junk food. The only pre packaged foods I eat are bread, hummus and cheese. I'm a vegetarian so a main component of my diet is lots of healthy fresh veggies. But I do eat a lot of bread otherwise I can't keep my weight up plus I exercise a lot so I need the carbs.

    try oatmeal (not the instant kind) and applesauce (made without sugar) as a good carb with almost no sodium......try peanut butter if you need extra calories........I gave up hummus and cheese because of the sodium
  • Nigel99
    Nigel99 Posts: 498 Member
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    Canned, packaged, and frozen items are often loaded with sodium. I've found a number of things I eat that are low in salt, or have very little salt, and I've been able to keep my sodium low enough so that if I have a meal with a big spike in sodium, I'll still be under (spike meaning 900-some mg - not much you can do about 1600 mg of sodium).

    Bread, and lunch meats tend to be the worst that I'm regularly eating, but I've worked to better those a bit.
  • ShrinkinMel
    ShrinkinMel Posts: 982 Member
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    Maybe get a bread machine and make it at home? I don't know what they put in bread to make it so high in sodium but its probably something to give longer shelf life. Who knows? But yes packaged food usually has a great deal of sodium.
  • ranjant
    ranjant Posts: 33
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    Its very hard keeping the sodium at recommended, but somedays I would go overboard whenever I eat out. The only way I can control my sodium is when I prepare and cook my own food and using alot of spices.
  • EricInArlington
    EricInArlington Posts: 557 Member
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    Im over by thousands everyday, All I can do is watch it, its too hard to stay under

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