sodium intake..........help???????

niciemetts
niciemetts Posts: 49
edited December 24 in Food and Nutrition
i am new to this ......i have never thought about sodium intake.........can anyone give me any meats and other foods that are low in sodium.......i didn't realize how high mine was........even though my calories are low........helpppppppp

Replies

  • 916lude
    916lude Posts: 305
    Generally anything boxed/canned will be high in sodium as well as fast foods/processed foods.

    Fresh fruits and veggies are the way to go.

    I googled this and found sodium levels on different meats.

    http://www.lowsaltfoods.com/food_center/lsfoods/meat.htm
  • niciemetts
    niciemetts Posts: 49
    even like chicken breast has sodium.........i had no idea..........i cook chicken breast alot........and i was shocked when i saw my sodium levels..............
  • willia123
    willia123 Posts: 60 Member
    Tilapia
    Chicken breast- plain boneless and skinless
    Wild caught salmon
    Bison

    I stay under 1000 per day for the most part because I get puffy eyes if I have a lot of sodium. I use salt free whole wheat bread and no salt added albacore...fresh produce...Kirkland no salt organic seasoning from Costco for my meat. There's a lot you can have!
  • willia123
    willia123 Posts: 60 Member
    even like chicken breast has sodium.........i had no idea..........i cook chicken breast alot........and i was shocked when i saw my sodium levels..............

    I eat chicken breast a lot. I use evoo and no salt seasoning and it's very low in sodium
  • marycmeadows
    marycmeadows Posts: 1,691 Member
    processed foods are high in sodium.

    avoid frozen foods that are seasoned or sauced (meats & veggies alike)
    look at the labels, lunch meats, and sausages and stuff are super high in sodium!

    look for no salt added canned foods or check the sodium content to make sure it's low - I usually just go with no salt added stuff for canned tomatoes, beans, peas, green beans, etc.

    Watch out for sodium in low fat and fat free salad dressings! it's ridiculous!

    ALSO watch sodium in cottage cheese and cheese's in general.

    chips, pretzels - all high in sodium
  • BandedTriaRN
    BandedTriaRN Posts: 303
    apparently the ADA just says to keep it under 2500 per day? The AHA says a little less, I think but definitely if you are under 50 or have diseases (HTN, DM2, CHF, Kidney issues) then keep it below 1500-1600.
    AND LOWER IF A DOCTOR ORDERS IT

    As A Vegetarian, I have had a hard time because we eat some of those faux "meat" products and even those foods that claim to be "healthy" are full of sodium. Really ticks me off. Salt has been the hardest thing for me to give up.
  • SaraHaxton1
    SaraHaxton1 Posts: 33
    I have the opposite problem, I can not seem to get enough sodium. I end up sometime eating 1/8 of a teaspoon of table salt just to get enough at the end of the day. If I don't get at least 2000mg a day I get blackout spells and my blood pressure falls. My doctor told me to keep my sodium levels up. When I had my blood work done, it showed that my sodium levels were dangerously low. So I have to get 2000mg a day or she will put me on a salt tablet. And those thing are huge and gross. So be careful with the low sodium diets also, keep everything in balance.
  • barbaracoffing
    barbaracoffing Posts: 117 Member
    Basically anything processed has sodium (expecially canned because sodium is in the preservatives). Fresh is the way to go like boneless, skinned chicken, or fish. They do sell low sodium soy sauce and spaghetti sauce/vegetables/soups. So you can start looking for those!:) Good luck!
  • Kennkaru
    Kennkaru Posts: 210 Member
    It's good that you want to monitor your sodium. At first I didn't really think much about it because I was trying to learn to eat the right amount of calories... then my focus shifted to carbs......then fat....
    I'm finding that sodium is the #1 factor in what the scale tells me.
    I try to keep mine around 1500 and I have had excellent results. I'm retaining so much less water now, and I feel much better.

    Fresh fruit and veggies are a good idea for ALL of your macros. I try to cram in as many as I can.
    I try to look for "reduced sodium" versions of the few packaged foods I buy.
  • nikkiprickett
    nikkiprickett Posts: 412 Member
    I had the same problem, avoid processed foods (frozen meals/dinners, boxed seasoned rices, dressings! etc...)
    there are lower sodium meats (not by much though) and low sodium condiments. Just look for no salt added, low sodium etc...lables and you should find it a LOT easier. Things like ketchup, ranch dressing, and any processed meat like hot dogs and stuff were KILLING me, but they do have 0 sodium ketchup, (no luck with ranch) and so on. But you'll find that if you eat low fat or fat free things the sodium sky rockets to preserve and give flavor so it's better to either not eat them at all or eat the regular versions (not so good on the calorie intake though) you'll eventually find your medium, some things you'll have to compromise on, pick low sodium things when possible or get regular instead of the low fat/fat free and it should balance out.
    Fruits and veggies are good too! no dip tho :)
    Also, I drink a ton of water, that helps:)
  • Gwenski
    Gwenski Posts: 348 Member
    Your sodium and potassium levels (and the ratio of each to the other) are extremely important. Better to speak with your dr. or nurse practitioner regarding the correct target for you. It can depend a great deal on your heart health, blood pressure, and if you take any meds (especially those for hypertension or hypotension).
    With that in mind, the average N. American eats much more sodium than is necessary or healthy, so a moderate reduction is likely safe enough until you learn the correct level for you.
    If you purchase deli-sliced lunch meat at all beware that there is a HUGE difference in sodium levels between 'smoked' and 'roasted' turkey or chicken breast. The smoked stuff is much higher in sodium. Suprisingly, the sodium in breads and crackers really tend to add up too.
    All the best!
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    My go-to, low/no sodium foods are dried pasta and white rice. They give a lot of calories for zeroish sodium. I think it's Barilla brand pasta that has 4mg of sodium per 85 gram serving.

    A lot of fruits and veggies have little/no sodium and high potassium, which can balance out the sodium.
  • Gwenski
    Gwenski Posts: 348 Member
    A great, short article on the subject...
    http://www.naturalnews.com/025820_sodium_potassium_health.html
  • rosesquelettique
    rosesquelettique Posts: 38 Member
    I have the opposite problem! Even if I increase my calories by a ridiculous amount, my sodium levels are too low! Like today, I've almost doubled my intended caloric intake and I'm still lacking 20% of my daily sodium. Anything salty is just gross to me. What's a salty food that doesn't taste salty?
  • niciemetts
    niciemetts Posts: 49
    thanks everyone.......anyone who wishes to add me.........please do...........
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