How Do YOU Cut Out Sodium?
HickGurl73
Posts: 31 Member
How Do YOU Cut Out Sodium?
I love the Dash seasonings re: cooking, but sodium is so MUCH MORE than cooking with salt, salting food of course.
This is an important "homework assignment" from my Dr. Before my next visit on 11.9
Thanks!
I love the Dash seasonings re: cooking, but sodium is so MUCH MORE than cooking with salt, salting food of course.
This is an important "homework assignment" from my Dr. Before my next visit on 11.9
Thanks!
1
Replies
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By reading labels on everything. Sodium is found in so many products that you wouldn't expect. I love my salty foods but I DO try to keep it at a moderate level just for health reasons.4
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HickGurl73 wrote: »How Do YOU Cut Out Sodium?
I love the Dash seasonings re: cooking, but sodium is so MUCH MORE than cooking with salt, salting food of course.
This is an important "homework assignment" from my Dr. Before my next visit on 11.9
Thanks!
The biggest culprit for high sodium intake is processed food goods (particularly shelf stable goods) and restaurant food. Basically, a lot of home cooking with whole foods and minimally processed foods...like when I used canned tomatoes or beans and such I get the low sodium variety. Pretty much anything that is going to come ready to eat or just heat and eat or is shelf stable for long periods of time is going to be high in sodium. Watch your labels.
I still salt my food, but I'm not as liberal with it as I used to be and I cook with a lot more herbs and spices. I also use the larger granulated Kosher salt rather than the fine table salt. I also make sure I don't go too low...sodium is an essential electrolyte and I'm pretty active so if my sodium is too low I get a lot of cramps and charlie horses and whatnot. Too much isn't good, but too little is also not good.
It was a bit odd at first (years ago) as I was so used to everything being salty and that being one of the primary flavors. I actually enjoy food a lot more now for what it actually is and the flavors of herbs and spices rather than just tasting salt. A lot of the things I used to eat and restaurants I used to eat at I find to just be overly salty now and not that great.5 -
By reading labels on everything. Sodium is found in so many products that you wouldn't expect. I love my salty foods but I DO try to keep it at a moderate level just for health reasons.
Absolutely as @BZAH10 writes.
Even some foods that are labeled low sodium may have more than you think. If you go with non processed foods you go a long way to cutting out the sodium. And sometimes the low or no salt added have more sodium than regular; e.g., some canned tomatoes.
I cook a lot and if I have a processed ingredient that is higher in sodium than I'd like I make sure the other ingredients; e.g., for soup are fresh and low/no added sodium. Helps each serving more management.
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I don't, but I don't have a medical reason to worry about sodium.
It sounds like you might, though. Cooking at home from scratch as much as possible is one way - processed foods are laden with the stuff, it's a preservative. But yeah, BZAH10 has it right, you gotta look at your labels. Even "low sodium" versions of products might have more than you need.9 -
I always read labels. I don't like salty food at all. If it's salty I don't feel the taste of the food, just salt. I cook separately for me and my boyfriend (he likes salty meal). If I eat out I ask for something what contains a small amount of sodium.2
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Everything everyone has already said.
Avoid prepared and processed foods as much as possible. Commercial soups, broth and sauces are huge sodium bombs. "Low sodium" products often aren't much better, look for "no salt added" if possible. Cheese is surprisingly high, bread can be also. Sadly for me, meat substitute products are often very high.
If I eat out, I just accept that any restaurant meal is going to put me way over. It's tricky enough to find meatless options, I have to let the sodium thing go.
eta weird grammar6 -
Y'all are awesome! Thanks so much!1
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Commercially prepared bread is another culprit for added salt.
I just heard that there are new guidelines for added salt intake in the US, and most of us get. WAY too much. I'm sure I do, but don't really monitor it either.1 -
- I never salt my food until just before serving, if at all.
- I buy reduced sodium stocks for soups or make my own
- I buy cuts of meat and cook them, then slice them for sandwiches instead of buying deli meats
- When I want deli meat, I buy Boars Head no salt added. Their turkey breast is only 55 mg per 2 oz unlike deli meats that are typically 400-500 mg. Their low sodium roast beef is also tasty.
- I don't eat out much
- I cook up black beans 2 lb at a time without salt. I bag them in 2 cup portions and freeze the bags. Each bag is the equivalent of 1 can. 12 mg sodium for the 2 cups as opposed to 1,365 mg for a can.
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I would not personally cut out sodium, is that actually recommended?
Generally, if you cook from whole foods and limit added salt, you won't be high on sodium unless you have a super low goal for specific medical reasons. I cook mostly from whole foods (I do like a few things that are higher sodium, like cottage cheese and pickles, so depends on the day), and so long as I don't log salt added in cooking (which I normally do not, since I have no sodium-related issues like high blood pressure and exercise which tends to allow for more sodium and generally hit or exceed my potassium goal from food, same), I tend to be below what Cronometer has as my minimum sodium and so log some salt at the end of the day to address that, when logging. (I only add salt when cooking, never have salted food after.)
So tldr, if you don't add salt when cooking or to food after it is cooked and cook largely from whole foods, I would be surprised if your sodium is all that high.1 -
I would not personally cut out sodium, is that actually recommended?
Generally, if you cook from whole foods and limit added salt, you won't be high on sodium unless you have a super low goal for specific medical reasons. I cook mostly from whole foods (I do like a few things that are higher sodium, like cottage cheese and pickles, so depends on the day), and so long as I don't log salt added in cooking (which I normally do not, since I have no sodium-related issues like high blood pressure and exercise which tends to allow for more sodium and generally hit or exceed my potassium goal from food, same), I tend to be below what Cronometer has as my minimum sodium and so log some salt at the end of the day to address that, when logging. (I only add salt when cooking, never have salted food after.)
So tldr, if you don't add salt when cooking or to food after it is cooked and cook largely from whole foods, I would be surprised if your sodium is all that high.
OP does mention this is on Dr’s advice.
Yes. Read labels and scratch cook as much as possible.
I have needed to be low sodium for a decade, and my husband also, for almost as long.
The good news is you get used to the taste. That doesn’t take long. A month or two, tops. And you get very good at remembering which products are “safe”
And some low sodium products are beginning to be available that are actually helpful. Pacific brand low sodium tomato soup is one. And Amy’s lower sodium refried beans. Those are staples in our house.
My husband also especially enjoys Happy Pho brand instant noodle soups.
He used to adore ramen. But WOW that is astonishingly high sodium.
The Happy Pho (Amazon has it, and many local grocery stores too) is extremely low sodium. If you add a can of kippers or something that really rounds up the flavor and it still comes in below my husband’s sodium budget.3 -
There are plenty of good substitutes if you just look for them and get creative. Sometimes flavor is easily influenced by small portions of fatty stuff, certain veggies and roots, as well as some of the asian type rice seasonings and such. As stated, the worst stuff is the prepared meal or side type things.
I'm assuming there is a medical need to keep it down lower, but read the below and really impress your doctor....
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10615700/biochemistry-answers-for-common-weight-loss-questions-sodium-warning-long-and-nerdy/p11 -
the most simple start is not eat processed foods and condiments. So..eat a whole foods diet where you prepare everything. I do this as part of the only eating plan that's been successful for me.
I even buy my chicken without "added sodium water". which the inexpensive bulk chicken always has salt water added.
Look for No Salt Added tomato sauce and canned tomatoes... even green beans. I use no sodium chicken broth to cook with.
I didn't cut the salt due to a doctor's order.. it was part of my eating plan..and I lose weight much faster when I cut out all the added salt.
Also.. I use lemon, lime, herbs and array of vinegars to season my food in cooking and raw dishes.3 -
I reduce sodium by eliminating processed foods as much as possible. Cook food in batches and use herbs and spices, making leftovers for other meals. Very little canned vegetables and the ones I do use, I choose low sodium if available. I even rinse low sodium canned beans. We prefer fresh or frozen vegetables anyway. My husband liberally uses a hot pepper blend, that contains no sodium (Famous Dave’s is the brand name) on his food, and rarely salts anything at the table.2
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MargaretYakoda wrote: »OP does mention this is on Dr’s advice.
Yeah, but sometimes people misunderstand. Cutting down on sodium or keeping it below 1500 mg is one thing, cutting it out (what OP said) is basically impossible and seems dangerous, so I wanted to make sure OP was clear on whatever the recommendation was (and that we understood).
The rest of my advice was assuming OP was just trying to keep sodium below a certain level, as that's common advice for various conditions.3 -
Everything everyone has already said.
Avoid prepared and processed foods as much as possible. Commercial soups, broth and sauces are huge sodium bombs. "Low sodium" products often aren't much better, look for "no salt added" if possible. Cheese is surprisingly high, bread can be also. Sadly for me, meat substitute products are often very high.
If I eat out, I just accept that any restaurant meal is going to put me way over. It's tricky enough to find meatless options, I have to let the sodium thing go.
eta weird grammar
I save bones in the freezer until I need to make stock. My stock has zero sodium yet IMO tastes better than store brand, and I love salt. When it's cooked and cooled, I freeze it in 2.5 - 16 oz plastic food containers that I had saved for this purpose.3 -
I posted this on another thread to answer a different question. For this thread, my answer is, "Cook from scratch and use more herbs, especially rosemary." Here's why:
From Michael Moss's "Salt Sugar Fat," one reason excessive salt is used in highly processed food is to solve the problem of "warmed over flavor."
https://scalar.usc.edu/works/uiuc-food-networks/media/MichaelMoss_SaltSugarFat2013_2.1.pdf
...Among all the miracles that salt performs for the processed food industry, perhaps the most essential involves a plague that the industry calls “warmed-over-flavor,” whose acronym, WOF, is pronounced something like the dog’s bark. WOF is caused by the oxidation of the fats in meat, which gives meat the taste of cardboard or, as some in the industry describe it, damp dog hair, when the meat is reheated after being precooked and added to soups or boxed meals. “Once warmed-over-flavor gets going, you are pretty well dead in the water, ” said Susan Brewer, a professor of food science in the University of Illinois’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Science.
...This is where salt comes in. Once WOF sets in, salt becomes a convenient antidote for the processed food industry, which is heavily reliant on reheated meats. One of the most effective cures for WOF is an infusion of fresh spices, especially rosemary, which has antioxidants to counteract the meat’s deterioration. But fresh herbs are costly. So manufacturers more typically make sure they have lots of salt in their formulas. The cardboard or dog-hair taste is still there, but it is overpowered by the salt.0 -
kshama2001 wrote: »I posted this on another thread to answer a different question. For this thread, my answer is, "Cook from scratch and use more herbs, especially rosemary." Here's why:
From Michael Moss's "Salt Sugar Fat," one reason excessive salt is used in highly processed food is to solve the problem of "warmed over flavor."
https://scalar.usc.edu/works/uiuc-food-networks/media/MichaelMoss_SaltSugarFat2013_2.1.pdf
...Among all the miracles that salt performs for the processed food industry, perhaps the most essential involves a plague that the industry calls “warmed-over-flavor,” whose acronym, WOF, is pronounced something like the dog’s bark. WOF is caused by the oxidation of the fats in meat, which gives meat the taste of cardboard or, as some in the industry describe it, damp dog hair, when the meat is reheated after being precooked and added to soups or boxed meals. “Once warmed-over-flavor gets going, you are pretty well dead in the water, ” said Susan Brewer, a professor of food science in the University of Illinois’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Science.
...This is where salt comes in. Once WOF sets in, salt becomes a convenient antidote for the processed food industry, which is heavily reliant on reheated meats. One of the most effective cures for WOF is an infusion of fresh spices, especially rosemary, which has antioxidants to counteract the meat’s deterioration. But fresh herbs are costly. So manufacturers more typically make sure they have lots of salt in their formulas. The cardboard or dog-hair taste is still there, but it is overpowered by the salt.
The absolute worst are the dried emergency rations. I tried samples from several companies and they were all so salty they were inedible. I wasn't looking for anything necessarily for emergencies but more like stuff I can use for camping/backpacking that are less costly as the ones made specifically for that.0 -
Even though I'm healthy now I went through some rehab a couple of years ago, which included stern keep-sodium-to-1500 mg-per -day lessons. They advised no more than 500 mg per meal. I don't have hypertension so I give myself an 1800 mg goal and often live with failure. As mentioned, it's almost impossible to eat at a restaurant and stay under. Even prepared salads (without dressing!) are stupid high. It's the cheese, croutons, and protein that get you. You might be fine with just fresh produce -- but I hate to pay restaurant prices for things that are so easy and cheap to fix at home. And I want a hot meal at a restaurant.
Everyone who has answered so far has been on point, so I'm going to try to be very specific.
*Walmart is the best place I have found for a good variety of no-salt-added canned vegetables. These have become harder to find post-COVID, but Walmart often has them. Kroger, sometimes.
*Frozen vegetables that are unenhanced (with sauce or, like, breaded okra) almost never have added salt, or very little. But read the labels.
*Meats that claim to be natural MAY have less sodium than those that don't. So read the labels. And if it doesn't have a label try scanning the barcode into My Fitness Pal. Different brands of pork loin and pork tenderloin vary a lot in sodium content. Even so, they are better than processed lunchmeat. For example, the Kroger pork tenderloin I cooked last night had 390 mg per four ounces. But I had two ounces on my breakfast sandwich for 200, and if I had used lunchmeat ham it would have been approximately 600 mg for two ounces. So it's still a win.
When I cook a turkey or chicken I save the carcass for broth and cook it in my slow cooker for as long as I can stand it--twelve hours or so--to get all the flavor out of it. It still doesn't qualify as bone broth but it's quite good.
*Rotisserie chicken is loaded with sodium. I'm sorry. I think they soak it in brine.
*No salt seasonings I love: Trader Joe's 21-Season(ing?) Salute. Fort Valley Blend from Shenandoah Spice Company. (https://www.shenandoahspicecompany.com/product-category/salt-free/) Ancho chili or chipotle chili powder, which is only that, versus chili powder which is a blend and includes salt.
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Back when I was active duty military, my doctor told me I was borderline needing to be put on blood pressure meds, and would be if I didn't get my BP lower within 60 days. One thing he suggested I try was to not salt my food during cooking, which gets absorbed into the food and leads to adding MORE salt when it's on your plate, but to instead wait until right before serving so the salt remains on the surface of the food. Not only does this make the taste far more vibrant, but there was zero need to add salt at the table. Two months later my BP had gone from hypertensive to a rock steady 120/80.
That one change, combined with letting go of frozen microwave meals for lunch, is all I've needed to do to maintain my BP over the years. Anecdotal, sure, but it worked for me.8 -
Eat real food. Food that is sold in the outside edge of the grocery store. Fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, protein.
Control the seasonings yourself.
Watch out for processed food — there is salt in everything.
Make some swap outs.
Eg.
Nuts - remove salted nuts - replace with nuts in the shell or unsalted
V8 - healthy; right? - the original has 640 mg of sodium. The low sodium version has 140mg.
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HickGurl73 wrote: »How Do YOU Cut Out Sodium?
I love the Dash seasonings re: cooking, but sodium is so MUCH MORE than cooking with salt, salting food of course.
This is an important "homework assignment" from my Dr. Before my next visit on 11.9
Thanks!
I don't.
We need sodium to live.
But I reduce sodium by eating a lot of fresh fruit and veggies.0 -
I cook my own (dry) beans in my Instant Pot (just a 3 QT) as well as rice and quinoa. No canned beans or pre-packaged rice/quinoa are needed. I make my own spice mixes without salt (all sorts of spice mix recipes on the internet). No cooking expertise is needed. And you can do other things while it cooks (no watching the pot, no burning). I used to make my own soups, but plan to restart with winter coming. Soups are easy, dump in the ingredients in a pot a cook for awhile (or use the Instant Pot). Great for using up leftover veggies and whatnot. Also, the desire for salt drops soon after cutting back on how much you use. For those who can, start slowly with cutting back, to make it even easier on you. Bacon, sausage, and cured meats need to be minimized. Also, anything with canned/jarred tomatoes is usually sky-high with salt. Everyone here has provided great information.1
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If you consume enough water and potassium, you can offset sodium concentration without having to cut it out.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Thank Y'all!!
Since so many are sharing (thank ya) I will give more details.
My Dr. "home work" assignment was due to the fact that 4 weeks ago now, I had a VERY MILD Stroke. I'm 48 and need to lose 35-40 lbs. I also smoke 16-17 Ciggs a day (high end if stressed)
I have OCD, ADHD & Anxiety Disorders.
sheeshhhhh.... lol
During episode at home, Fire Dept; Paramedics said I was slurring words-slightly repeating. My BP was 187/109
The Middle/In-between breasts was a heavy feeling and burning ache. They took me by ambulance to ER.
So, after home/rested I started here/my journey... On Day/Streak 12! Just lost 1.5 lbs, 1 in off waist, 1 in off hips and have CUT DOWN ciggs by 1 or 2 each day so far!
My next visit is Nov. 9th for Blood Work, Weigh In, and to check BP... (I do not want to go on meds!)7 -
I personally don't, I am actually prescribed salt pills to raise my blood pressure because I need 5-10 grams of salt a day.
However, the food I eat is generally low sodium.
I cook everything from scratch, mostly vegetarian, with minimal cheese, and minimal added salt. I cook with a lot of herbs and spices, which create a lot of flavour without needing salt.
I lost 70lbs eating a primarily plant based diet with a lot of legumes and whole grains.2 -
I don't eat processed foods or fast foods.1
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This will be basically consistent with all the above comments, but anyway, I eat 1500 mg sodium / day (except for the occasional special occasion when I'll allow myself 2300). It really isn't very hard, and the things I have done to get to that 1500 have had the beneficial side effect of leading me to much healthier eating, overall. My formula:
- eat mainly vegetables and other real foods, plus no-sodium pasta, rice, etc. This is the key. The cornerstone of it all
- no processed meats
- no cheese except swiss, which is much lower sodium than other sandwich cheeses
- when I NEED salt, I use one pinch (80 milligrams) of Celtic sea salt added to the finished meal, at the dining table, not in the cooking process
- no junk food other than no-sodium dark chocolate. No chips, dip, etc.
- I read labels. A bagel can have 700 mg. You have to read labels to do it right.
You would be surprised how easy it is to keep sodium low with just a little effort, and you get used to it pretty quickly. It only took me around 3 weeks after a high BP diagnosis to get with the program. Everything I've done to go low-sodium has also helped me with my diet.
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MargaretYakoda wrote: »OP does mention this is on Dr’s advice.
Yeah, but sometimes people misunderstand. Cutting down on sodium or keeping it below 1500 mg is one thing, cutting it out (what OP said) is basically impossible and seems dangerous, so I wanted to make sure OP was clear on whatever the recommendation was (and that we understood).
The rest of my advice was assuming OP was just trying to keep sodium below a certain level, as that's common advice for various conditions.
Fair point.
Ya.
Eliminating salt completely is not a good idea.
Ditto carbs, or fat. But that’s a different topic.0 -
MaggieGirl135 wrote: »I cook my own (dry) beans in my Instant Pot (just a 3 QT) as well as (snip)
Oh yes. The Instantpot is a game changer.
We make bean dishes, and pork, and so so so many wonderful things.
I am currently enjoying a stew made in the Instantpot. Pork. Tomato and carrot and potato. Other random veggies. Zero added salt. And it is so very good!
I got the Instantpot for my partner as a Christmas present four or five years ago. He ignored it for six months, unsure how to use it, and afraid of change. Until I unboxed it and basically suggested he just give it a try - along with a bunch of recipes I forwarded to him. Now he admits it is one of the best tools in the kitchen.1
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