evil evil sodium!

Options
kealambert
kealambert Posts: 961 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Anyone else feeling like they can't escape sodium in their diet? It is honestly the hardest for me to cut out. Mostly because it's delicious, but it's also hidden in lower calorie and sugar foods. Any good tips/foods in particular to avoid/attract?
«1

Replies

  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    Options
    If you're hydrated, if your urine is light, if you get sweaty often, you do not need to obsess over this.

    If you already have hypertension, if your doctor has instructed you to keep it below a certain number, I'm not addressing you.

    Everyone else, relax, sodium is ok. It's an electrolyte, which you need.
  • VeganInTraining
    VeganInTraining Posts: 1,321 Member
    Options
    Evil sodium.....dangerous carbs.....we just can't win!

    cook your own food and that pretty much solves the problem. I cook my own meals and unless I add a crap ton of adobo I am normally way under on sodium....then again, I did just eat some ramen noodles so today I'm sure I'll be over!
  • natachan
    natachan Posts: 149
    Options
    Thank you SOOO much. I was worried about this, especially since I cook a lot of eggs (I have chickens) and they seem to have a bunch of sodium.
  • kealambert
    kealambert Posts: 961 Member
    Options
    If you're hydrated, if your urine is light, if you get sweaty often, you do not need to obsess over this.

    If you already have hypertension, if your doctor has instructed you to keep it below a certain number, I'm not addressing you.

    Everyone else, relax, sodium is ok. It's an electrolyte, which you need.

    i drink lots of water, sweat more than anyone I see at the gym...I am under my calorie goals, workout 6 days a week (lifting as well as HIIT and anaerobics), and yet the weight is up, inches are down. My only indication is that I'm retaining water, which I normally hear attributed to sodium intake
  • VeganInTraining
    VeganInTraining Posts: 1,321 Member
    Options
    if it were a sodium problem I'm pretty sure that inches would be up too. If I eat excessive amounts of sodium I get a gain and look bloated....

    Also, my Dr has told me to eat MORE sodium b/c I get cramps when I work out if I don't
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    Options
    You may be undereating.

    You goal should be to "meet" your calorie numbers, not be "under". Especially if you're working out that much, your body needs fuel. Are you replacing the energy used in the workouts with higher intake?
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    Options
    I have better workouts on days after the days where my sodium intake is higher. You need electrolytes in your body, especially if you are active.
  • hope516
    hope516 Posts: 1,133 Member
    Options
    Evil sodium.....dangerous carbs.....we just can't win!

    cook your own food and that pretty much solves the problem. I cook my own meals and unless I add a

    best advice ^^^^ I totally notice I have NO problem staying under sodium if I stay away from prepackaged, premade, canned foods without even trying!
  • Pifflesmom
    Pifflesmom Posts: 134 Member
    Options
    If you're hydrated, if your urine is light, if you get sweaty often, you do not need to obsess over this.

    If you already have hypertension, if your doctor has instructed you to keep it below a certain number, I'm not addressing you.

    Everyone else, relax, sodium is ok. It's an electrolyte, which you need.

    Sodium has been the ONE thing that I've had a difficult time with - everything else I've got under control. I drink a ton of water, urine is light - I'm not overly sweaty (ha)...but this post makes me feel a bit better about the whole thing. Thank you!
  • agentscully514
    agentscully514 Posts: 616 Member
    Options
    Sodium is not going to kill you. You need some in your diet to live. and you need more if you are sweating a lot. And honestly, the way MFP encourages people to guzzle water beyond what is needed, many folks are probably not getting enough sodium.

    The only people who need to worry about sodium are those with medical issues like kidney problems or high blood pressure.
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
    Options
    Funny, I thought sodium was an essential mineral.
  • SwannySez
    SwannySez Posts: 5,864 Member
    Options
    Sodium stole my lunch and two-timed my sister.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Options
    Sodium by itself isn't a bad thing. If you don't have high blood pressure, and understand that water weight from sodium is temporary, then going over a bit isn't really that bad. Sodium doesn't become dangerous until you are upwards of 6000 mg per day, and even then, it depends a lot of your activity level and your potassium intake.

    Sodium and potassium are opposites in the body, sodium draws water out of cells and into the extracellular areas of the body, making it harder for the body to eliminate excess water, where as potassium shifts the electro-chemical balance the other way, if you eat a lot of natural foods high in sodium, chances are they will have lots of potassium in them as well, it's not that big of a deal.

    The problem of high sodium is essentially more pronounced when you are using added sodium to your diet, in things like sauces, dressings, condiments, and processed foods that contain little or no potassium to offset the sodium balance. Cut out those things and I'm sure you'll be fine, that is assuming you don't have high blood pressure or some other ailment that sodium is known to effect.
  • cattracy0829
    cattracy0829 Posts: 177 Member
    Options
    Sodium stole my lunch and two-timed my sister.

    This^^
  • 2Bgoddess
    2Bgoddess Posts: 1,096 Member
    Options
    hisssssssssssss at the evil sodium! When I went for my weigh in, I had lost fat pounds, but gained (or retained) 3 pounds of water...looking back at my diary, i discovered that a couple of my low fat foods were loaded with salt, and i just had far too many of them! pre cooked chicken breast, shrimp, frozen fish, fat free italian dressing....it adds up so fast.
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    Options
    Anyone else feeling like they can't escape sodium in their diet? It is honestly the hardest for me to cut out. Mostly because it's delicious, but it's also hidden in lower calorie and sugar foods. Any good tips/foods in particular to avoid/attract?

    I looked through your diary for a few days - egg rolls, Panera, etc. These are going to be higher in sodium. If you are looking for lower sodium in your diet, make your own food. It will naturally have less sodium. Anything packaged or from a fast food restaurant is likely to have more than you would put in on your own.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Options
    If you're hydrated, if your urine is light, if you get sweaty often, you do not need to obsess over this.

    If you already have hypertension, if your doctor has instructed you to keep it below a certain number, I'm not addressing you.

    Everyone else, relax, sodium is ok. It's an electrolyte, which you need.

    i drink lots of water, sweat more than anyone I see at the gym...I am under my calorie goals, workout 6 days a week (lifting as well as HIIT and anaerobics), and yet the weight is up, inches are down. My only indication is that I'm retaining water, which I normally hear attributed to sodium intake

    Water retention is a normal response to exercise. You are stressing/damaging muscle tissue so the body increases blood flow to those muscles.

    Plus, if inches are down, what's the problem? Quit worrying so much about what the scale says... it's a terrible judge of progress.
  • 19danno77
    19danno77 Posts: 84
    Options
    I don't believe sodium is as bad for us as it's made out to be...it's one of the few substances (other than vitamins B & C) that can be easily flushed out with water. Not a single enzymatic, hormonal process required. Your body will hang on to water if you can't get it flushed out and maintain a minimum water level. No proof, just conjecture here...drink lots of water with high-sodium foods and I'd like to think you're OK...excess sugar on the other hand is far more dangerous...add more fruits/veggies to your diet and don't salt either. They're filling, low-calorie and low-sodium. Also, start weighing your foods and eat smaller portions of full-fat versions. They don't need the sodium/corn syrup to bring back flavor and bulk...part of MFP is getting used to a new normal on portion size. When restaruants only marketing tool is an enormous pile of food (and this has been the case for the past 30 years) it's no wonder our perception is skewed. 400-500 calories per meal at 3 per day is all we need, plus throw in a drink or snack or two and we're at our daily limit.

    As an industry insider, I'd like to also warn folks that sodium chloride (table salt) in many cases is being replaced with potassium chloride, a bitter/metallic salt (sic) replacer. Ask yourself this question: "what happens when the FDA or Centers for Science in the Public Interest discovers that (maybe) chloride is the actual danger in salt, not the SODIUM?!?" We've seen this with their flag waving about eggs, butter, etc. No reason to believe they're any more right on salt than on any other fals alarms they've sounded.
  • Inlet
    Inlet Posts: 135
    Options
    Sodium is only bad if you have hypertension/kidney disorders.... Actual disorders.
    I will make you retain some water, but water rention isn't THAT big of a deal.
    I have superlow blood pressure. Low sodium diets push me to the verge of passing out.
  • Tajdancer
    Tajdancer Posts: 82 Member
    Options
    I do have hypertension, so I watch the salt. What's helped me is eliminating deli meats, using dried beans rather than canned (although the lower sodium types are okay), and fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned.

    Not giving up my full-fat, fully salted cheese, though. Ain't happenin'.

Categories