Holy hell, how can you avoid sodium?
fiveohmike
Posts: 1,297 Member
So I am working on dropping my sodium intakes...but damnt its nearly impossible. I dont have the luxury of making my own lunches everyday unfortunately. I do on some occasions but not all.
I decided to find a good salad...was thinking togo's until i read there nutrition menu. That is disgusting. I found one thing particularly disturbing. There large 9" salami and cheese sandwich on wheat has 8365mg sodium.....thats plain crazy.
From there I started looking around, and its just plain rediculous. I think the lowest sodium item I found was the 6" BLT (yes bacon!" at subway with only 680mg of sodium (before cheese).
Mind you I have to eat upwards of 3200 calories a day, but how do you avoid the sodium? I cant pack 10lbs of salad a day from home lol
I decided to find a good salad...was thinking togo's until i read there nutrition menu. That is disgusting. I found one thing particularly disturbing. There large 9" salami and cheese sandwich on wheat has 8365mg sodium.....thats plain crazy.
From there I started looking around, and its just plain rediculous. I think the lowest sodium item I found was the 6" BLT (yes bacon!" at subway with only 680mg of sodium (before cheese).
Mind you I have to eat upwards of 3200 calories a day, but how do you avoid the sodium? I cant pack 10lbs of salad a day from home lol
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Replies
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Ok- went through some of your diary and I'm going to suggest some substitutions
So instead of lunch meat- find low sodium frozen chicken or turkey. Breasts or not- your call. You have the cal room to eat dark meat. Purdue makes a good one. Find a day during the week when you can cook like ten of those suckers on a pan in the oven. Spice them to your heart's desire- (I vote chilli powder) then cut them into strips and put them in a freezer bag in the fridge. Slap those puppies on some bread- voila you just cut out tons of sodium.
Cheese- keep that it's so good and cal dense. Sargento's makes a low sodium cheese that's tasty but haven't look at the nutritional data on that one in a while so can't just give a blanket 'woohoo' to it.
Eating out is going to be a hard one- it always is.
I think you can keep room for eating out if you knock out the deli meats. Taking those out should give you around 500 more a day and that can take up the slack from eating out.
Hope that helps! You're doing really great!0 -
I think I am gonna have to go the subway route.
I was looking at the Chicken Caesar salad at Togo's with low fat balsamic vinaigrette dress, it has 980mg sodium, but only 300 calories.'
Its crazy talk
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I think I am gonna have to go the subway route.
I was looking at the Chicken Caesar salad at Togo's with low fat balsamic vinaigrette dress, it has 980mg sodium, but only 300 calories.'
Its crazy talk
Caesar salad (my fav) is always high in sodium at restaurants. It's the chicken they order- it's loaded! Plus cheese- Feta at that. So much easier to make it at home.
Oh hey- that reminds me- let me see if I can find this... hold on.. aha!
Salad in a jar! - looks so good too!
http://www.newlyweds-blog.com/2011/11/08/salad-in-a-jar/0 -
I can totally relate - just started watching my sodium. It's tough when you need your meals and snacks to be quick and convenient.0
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I feel your pain, too...I've learned a lot from my mom about how out of control the sodium content is of MOST foods She's a transplant (kidney) patient on dialysis currently waiting for another transplant, so she's really got to watch her sodium intake, as well as a lot of other vitamins and minerals that us normal people's bodies need to thrive--her body just can't process them like the rest of us--but I digress. Back to the sodium topic...
Cheese, deli meats, and bread (yes, bread) all have pretty high sodium counts, as well as pretty much any type of restaurant food (you want your food to taste good, don't you?
). I've bought the Sargento Reduced Sodium String Cheese and can't tell the difference, although I've been eating it for a while. I've also bought "lower" sodium deli meats, and didn't think they were bad at all. I've never tried lower sodium bread, but I do know that such a thing does exist. I think it's all about re-training your taste buds to enjoy the actual food you're eating and not the salt, etc. you're putting on it. My mom also uses Mrs. Dash products when cooking things from scratch in place of salt--she says they're pretty tasty as far as salt substitutes go.
Back to my mom...she never salts ANY of her food anymore, because she's lost the taste for salt and thinks most foods are already "too salty"...then there's my dad who salts pretty much EVERYTHING before he's even tasted it. Yin and Yang, I guess
Anyway, I've also been trying to keep my sodium in check (due to the fact that kidney disease IS hereditary...preparing for my possible future, I guess...), but find it hard most days. If you could see my diary, you could check out the Buffalo Wild Wings Naked Tenders I have on a weekly basis--over 2,000 mg of sodium in 4 little tenders!!! But I can't resist them because I just LOVE BWW and all their yummy sauces...:laugh:
Good luck, and I'll be checking back in on the thread to see if anyone else has any other lower sodium options...
With that said, "BUMP" to the top you go.0 -
I think I am gonna have to go the subway route.
I was looking at the Chicken Caesar salad at Togo's with low fat balsamic vinaigrette dress, it has 980mg sodium, but only 300 calories.'
Its crazy talk
Caesar salad (my fav) is always high in sodium at restaurants. It's the chicken they order- it's loaded! Plus cheese- Feta at that. So much easier to make it at home.
Oh hey- that reminds me- let me see if I can find this... hold on.. aha!
Salad in a jar! - looks so good too!
http://www.newlyweds-blog.com/2011/11/08/salad-in-a-jar/
Thank you that salad looks devine I wonder if this would work for other salad dressing recipes.0 -
So I am working on dropping my sodium intakes...but damnt its nearly impossible. I dont have the luxury of making my own lunches everyday unfortunately. I do on some occasions but not all.
Do you cook dinner? I always make double batch of dinner and take leftovers for my lunch. That way it's packed up and ready to go in the morning. Also, as mentioned sodium is a flavor that we learn to like, so we can also learn to unlike it. Salt is actually an easy flavor to get over, usually only takes a week of low-sodium to retrain your taste buds.0 -
I feel your pain, too...I've learned a lot from my mom about how out of control the sodium content is of MOST foods She's a transplant (kidney) patient on dialysis currently waiting for another transplant, so she's really got to watch her sodium intake, as well as a lot of other vitamins and minerals that us normal people's bodies need to thrive--her body just can't process them like the rest of us--but I digress. Back to the sodium topic...
Cheese, deli meats, and bread (yes, bread) all have pretty high sodium counts, as well as pretty much any type of restaurant food (you want your food to taste good, don't you? ). I've bought the Sargento Reduced Sodium String Cheese and can't tell the difference, although I've been eating it for a while. I've also bought "lower" sodium deli meats, and didn't think they were bad at all. I've never tried lower sodium bread, but I do know that such a thing does exist. I think it's all about re-training your taste buds to enjoy the actual food you're eating and not the salt, etc. you're putting on it. My mom also uses Mrs. Dash products when cooking things from scratch in place of salt--she says they're pretty tasty as far as salt substitutes go.
Back to my mom...she never salts ANY of her food anymore, because she's lost the taste for salt and thinks most foods are already "too salty"...then there's my dad who salts pretty much EVERYTHING before he's even tasted it. Yin and Yang, I guess
Anyway, I've also been trying to keep my sodium in check (due to the fact that kidney disease IS hereditary...preparing for my possible future, I guess...), but find it hard most days. If you could see my diary, you could check out the Buffalo Wild Wings Naked Tenders I have on a weekly basis--over 2,000 mg of sodium in 4 little tenders!!! But I can't resist them because I just LOVE BWW and all their yummy sauces...:laugh:
Good luck, and I'll be checking back in on the thread to see if anyone else has any other lower sodium options...
With that said, "BUMP" to the top you go.
I hope your mom is able to get a donor kidney soon. I donated a kidney in July of 2010.0 -
Starkist has Low Sodium Tuna in Water packets~ they are awesome!!
I found a GOOD low calorie, sugar free and low sodium salad dressing too~ Maple Grove Farms Sugar Free Balsamic~ got it at Walmart.
DO NOT get Perdue Perfect Portions chicken breasts~ first of all they are $$$ (but yummy) but they also have ADDED sodium solution injected into them to make them so yummy~ like 3 times the amount of any other boneless chicken breast.
Swiss Cheese is the LOWEST sodium cheese out there~no matter what kind you get, you can't go wrong!
NEVER, EVER, EAT A PICKLE!! (Sorry I know what board this is, but I'm trying to help this guy) I don't have to tell you they are pure salt!! In my WW days, the leaders would say "A pickle a pound"~ of fluid, that is!!
The good news is there are a LOT of new Low Sodium products out there so check them out.
Caesar salad dressing is the highest sodium dressing out there probably due to the anchovy(ewww) paste in there.
Bread~ I use Martin's Whole Wheat Potato Bread~ in my opinion had the best all around numbers (for me, that is)
Lunch Meat~ I rarely eat it but I buy Low Salt Ham and Turkey for my husband (he likes regular cheese~ oh well, gotta take what I can get)
Hope this helps~ I did a whole "sodium" investigation of my own foods last year and was shocked just like you are now. But I upgraded a LOT of my foods and am doing VERY well with my sodium.
(well, except for pizza night......)0 -
I love Gemi's idea of cooking up chicken at home.
It's relatively easy, and you could even use a crockpot! I just boil mine with a quick sprinkle of lawrys seasoned salt (I mean 10 huge breasts and maybe 1/2 tsp Lawry's).
There are so many ways to prepare chicken. My favorite lately is my boiled chicken with some canola mayonnaise and some grapes. MMMM! Tonight I am making quesadilla! Chicken, cheese, and a high fiber tortilla! YUMY!
I mean no disrespect or offense when I say this, but where there is a will, there is a way 0 -
Mike .... You r a hoot. Hope u don't mind me saying that .... We've "met" ...remember ???
Anyhoooooo. Sodium. It's about choices. For example .... "convenience" foods and eating out generally equal SODIUM nightmares.
Sounds like you roll with both ?? And why can't you pack a lunch ? Hmmm?? : )
Nothing complicated ...u don't have to be a "cook". Real food. The more you can stick to it the better off you are with sodium.
I'm a little wired yet sleep deprived right now ...hope this made sense.0 -
MIKE!!! Thanks for posting this! I am on the struggling-with-sodium bus too! UGH! And thanks to the rest of you for the suggestions - this is why I love MFP! Anyhoo, one thing I have started doing is ELIMINATE ALL SALAD DRESSING. I mix my salad together in the morning, or the night before, in a ziplock bag, and add something JUICY like strawberries, roasted red peppers, whatever I have or feel like, and by the time I open it up at lunch the whole thing is "dressed" and full of flavor. Just my two cents. Besides this, cutting out the lunch meat and making low-sodium choices in breads and processed foods when I can, I'm out of ideas and still struggling too. 0
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I feel your pain, too...I've learned a lot from my mom about how out of control the sodium content is of MOST foods She's a transplant (kidney) patient on dialysis currently waiting for another transplant, so she's really got to watch her sodium intake, as well as a lot of other vitamins and minerals that us normal people's bodies need to thrive--her body just can't process them like the rest of us--but I digress. Back to the sodium topic...
Cheese, deli meats, and bread (yes, bread) all have pretty high sodium counts, as well as pretty much any type of restaurant food (you want your food to taste good, don't you? ). I've bought the Sargento Reduced Sodium String Cheese and can't tell the difference, although I've been eating it for a while. I've also bought "lower" sodium deli meats, and didn't think they were bad at all. I've never tried lower sodium bread, but I do know that such a thing does exist. I think it's all about re-training your taste buds to enjoy the actual food you're eating and not the salt, etc. you're putting on it. My mom also uses Mrs. Dash products when cooking things from scratch in place of salt--she says they're pretty tasty as far as salt substitutes go.
Back to my mom...she never salts ANY of her food anymore, because she's lost the taste for salt and thinks most foods are already "too salty"...then there's my dad who salts pretty much EVERYTHING before he's even tasted it. Yin and Yang, I guess
Anyway, I've also been trying to keep my sodium in check (due to the fact that kidney disease IS hereditary...preparing for my possible future, I guess...), but find it hard most days. If you could see my diary, you could check out the Buffalo Wild Wings Naked Tenders I have on a weekly basis--over 2,000 mg of sodium in 4 little tenders!!! But I can't resist them because I just LOVE BWW and all their yummy sauces...:laugh:
Good luck, and I'll be checking back in on the thread to see if anyone else has any other lower sodium options...
With that said, "BUMP" to the top you go.
I hope your mom is able to get a donor kidney soon. I donated a kidney in July of 2010.
You, my friend, are a wonderful person! :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:0 -
Ok- went through some of your diary and I'm going to suggest some substitutions
So instead of lunch meat- find low sodium frozen chicken or turkey. Breasts or not- your call. You have the cal room to eat dark meat. Purdue makes a good one. Find a day during the week when you can cook like ten of those suckers on a pan in the oven. Spice them to your heart's desire- (I vote chilli powder) then cut them into strips and put them in a freezer bag in the fridge. Slap those puppies on some bread- voila you just cut out tons of sodium.
Cheese- keep that it's so good and cal dense. Sargento's makes a low sodium cheese that's tasty but haven't look at the nutritional data on that one in a while so can't just give a blanket 'woohoo' to it.
Eating out is going to be a hard one- it always is.
I think you can keep room for eating out if you knock out the deli meats. Taking those out should give you around 500 more a day and that can take up the slack from eating out.
Hope that helps! You're doing really great!
These are some great suggestions....
I'm going to try them!:happy:0 -
Well one way is to make my own salad dressing:
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 crushed clove of garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp Dijon mustard
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Sea Salt
A recipe I picked up from the Paleo diet a while back.
I am bringing this to work, and getting the Chicken Caesar Salad with no cheese and no dressing and using my own!0
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