Low Sodium thread! (vegetables, mayo, clinic, carbs)

[Herbrocks]

Americans take in way too much salt and it can aggravate or lead to many serious health problems, including high blood pressure and congestive heart failure. Here is a thread to post and discuss lower sodium foods, recipes, products, tips or living a low-sodium lifestyle in general. Whether you are reducunsalt for weight loss, general heath or fo medical reasons, I hope this thread will be a good source of information, ideas and support.


How much sodium is really in your diet? Try keeping a "salt diary" for a few days and find out! It will take some effort, prepackaged foods will have sodium levels on the label and most fast food and chain restaurants have info availible in store or on their websites, but for other foods you will have to figure it out yourself using sodium level guides from books or online. Pay careful attention to the serving amounts/weights for more accurate readings.

Daily recommended levels of sodium are around 2000 mg, most of you will find you take in many times that amount everyday.

[grannynancy]

Good topic. On the converse of too much sodium is not enough potassium.

I have been keeping a food diary and averaging around 2200mg of sodium a day for the past two months but that is pretty much zero added salt, very little in the way of processed, prepackaged or dine out foods .... I usually pay for eating out anything with a few days of added water weight.

One thing is you can find no salt added processed foods but expect to pay more. The plus - they typically use better quality ingredients. The down - watch out for added high fructose corn syrup to replace the sodium.

Keep to the outside aisles except for dried beans and rice and a few other things.

Look at the labels when you buy "healthy foods" that subway turkey sub is FULL of sodium, add some jalapenos and mustard or other sauce and UP goes the salt again. Cheese - well why you eating a turkey sub if you add the cheese? Cheese is usually very high in salt, too.

Buy an use a pressure cooker. Beans are a GREAT food but the canned varieties are full of sodium. All kinds of bean and grains can also be sprouted for a nutritios meal. Get away from instant oatmeal. Use natural steel cut and just soak overnight before cooking.

[tortoise]

If the "taste compromise" is acceptable . . dilute soda beverages 50% with water, and boil processed meats to reduce sodium.

Boar's Head Lower Sodium Meats and Cheeses

[Herbrocks]

Great posts!

Keeping to around 2000 mg is very hard to do, at least at first. Also most low-sodium dishes taste very little like their "regular" counterparts. On the upside, your taste buds do adapt over time and you will lose some of your taste for salt eventally.

To go strict low-sodium, you really have to make almost all of your food yourself, from fresh ingredients. Not a bad thing itself, but very time comsuming, and frustrating for those with subpar cooking skills.

There are lots of "lower sodium" branded products in stores, but they are mostly all still very high in sodium, as the originals are mega-high to start with (canned soups, canned vegetables, condiments, ramen, canned meats...). If you are on a restrictive diet, they are almost useless as a daily food, but they are better for you than the originals at least.

On the other hand, almost all the "healthy" and "heart healthy" branded products have as much or more sodium than the regulars. In fact, "lite" and "low-cal" items are almost gauranteed to have more!

Regarding sodas, most don't have a ton (diet usually have more) but they vary a lot by type/brand. Of course, if you drink them all day long it still adds up quick. Always read the labels and count the mgs.

Some sodas have low or no sodium, either naturally or on purpose. BLUE SKY makes several flavors I enjoy.

[Herbrocks]

At the grocery, I am always on the lookout for lower sodium brands that are new to me. I have always loved ramen, though I hardly eat it now, sometimes I just gotta have it!

I recently found a brand called PANDA NOODLE at the dollar store that is low sodium, fat-free with no MSG. It has less sodium than the other reduced sodium brands, and WAY less than regular ramen. The packages are a little smaller though. Here is a comparison-

PANDA NOODLE 2.65 OZ has about 500mg
MARUCHAN LESS SODIUM 3oz has about 1000mg

Sadly, the store as since sold out, but at least I know it's out there now

[TheJagMan]

This is too "micro"...Cutting salt is one minor thing to being healthy...Take a more "macro" approach with diet and exercise...

[grannynancy]

Originally Posted by TheJagMan

This is too "micro"...Cutting salt is one minor thing to being healthy...Take a more "macro" approach with diet and exercise...

High salt intake is a major cause of high blood pressure for a LOT of people, thin ones included........high blood pressure causes all kinds of long term health damage...........

[TheJagMan]

Originally Posted by grannynancy

High salt intake is a major cause of high blood pressure for a LOT of people, thin ones included........high blood pressure causes all kinds of long term health damage...........

Sitting on the couch all day and eating cheesecake fried in lard if there isn't any salt is healthy?

[grannynancy]

Originally Posted by TheJagMan

Sitting on the couch all day and eating cheesecake fried in lard if there isn't any salt is healthy?

Where the heck did you get that idea? Of course that is not healthy. Where did I EVER say that it was? "Cheesecake fried in lard?"..........yummy.

I am just stating that a lot of people who are thin and eat high salt diets do, in fact, develop high blood pressure and other related health problems.

You feel that removing salt is a micro thing but the vast majority of salt in our diet comes from processed and take out foods. Guess what - If you are eating more foods that are not processed AND eating healthy choices like limiting bad fats, then you ARE eating healthy. Salt is part of that whole picture.


Ok nice link from the Mayo clinic - credible source
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sodium/NU00284

[Herbrocks]

Originally Posted by TheJagMan

Sitting on the couch all day and eating cheesecake fried in lard if there isn't any salt is healthy?

PLEASE DO NOT HIJACK THE LOW SODIUM THREAD!

While no one is saying to fry cheesecake in lard, there may be recipes or products posted here that include fats, carbs, gluten, meat, sugar or whatever. Also, no one is saying not to exercise, or that a low-sodium diet will cure all ills. There are many aspects of a healthy life, many pieces of the puzzle to make a whole, but this thread is JUST ABOUT SODIUM!

Thank you in advance.