A key to healthy eating is choosing foods lower in salt and sodium. Don't get this wrong, salt is an essential nutrient which should be a part of your diet. It is present in the fluid around cells, in our blood and our bones and it controls the water balance in our bodies. It also helps the cells to respond to stimuli and thus affects the functioning of our nerves and muscles. But excess of salt/sodium in food preparations can be a health hazard if eaten for a prolonged period.
According to FDA, a healthy adult needs less than 2,400 mg of sodium per day, which is equivalent to about one teaspoon of table salt. And, if you have high blood pressure, kidney disease, diabetes; or you are middle-aged or older, you need less than 1,500 mg of sodium per day.
Lowering your sodium intake can help reduce the risk of high blood pressure. And, if you suffer from hypertension you would benefit from consuming less salt/sodium as it can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney damage. There are several foods that you should avoid - apart from the obvious offenders like potato chips, salted french fries & pretzels - if you want to cut back on the amount of salt in your diet. These include:
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Breakfast cereals: Some brand of corn flakes have up to 202 mg of sodium per cup (28 gm), which is about the same amount of sodium as a small packet of plain chips. Obviously, they are much less healthy then what they are marketed as. Look for low-sodium cereals, or use puffed rice or puffed wheat as they are sodium free.
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Processed meats: Some of the worst culprits are processed meats like sausage, bacon, salami etc. Be sure to buy your meat fresh and from a good source.
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Canned soups: We all love to have soup on a cold day and the convenient way to make it is to buy a canned one. But many brands have been tested and have shown some unbelievable amount of salt content. For example, a cup of canned noodle soup (canned) can contain as much as 1,100 mg of sodium. So, always check the label and try to buy the one with low sodium.
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Pickles and Sauces: Salt is used more as a preservative than a flavoring agent in such cases. As a result, the salt levels are through the roof. For instance, just one tablespoon of soy sauce can contain anywhere from 900 to 1,000 mg of sodium, depending upon how the soy sauce is made. And, one tablespoon of tomato sauce contains 178 mg of sodium.
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Instant noodles: One pack of instant noodles with all the spices in it tends to be so sodium-rich that you end up eating more than half of your daily allowance of sodium in just one serving.
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Pizzas: In a pizza, the garlic salt, tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese together contribute to a high level of sodium. Some pizza parlors also add extra salt to the pizzas to make them more delicious.
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Salad dressings: While no one likes a bland salad, excessive salad dressing actually reduces the 'healthiness' of the salad. Stuff like mayonnaise, barbeque sauce, soy sauce, mustard sauce should be kept far away from the salad. Instead use vinegar and lemon juice as dressing - they naturally have less sodium.
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Salted nuts: As the name suggests, they are very high in salts. Your doctor must have already warned you if you have hypertension and excess of cholesterol level in your blood.
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Dairy products: Dairy products contain little amount of sodium naturally. For example, 1 cup (235 ml) of low-fat milk has about 107 mg of sodium. Also, Butter, margarine and mayonnaise are dairy food preparations that contains added salt and should be avoided to reduce salt consumption.
When reading the food label for sodium content, always check on how many servings per container there are. People don't realize that a big container has more than 2-3 servings, but the amount of sodium listed is only per serving. Also, read the ingredients list and learn to identify terms used for various forms of sodium. Don't just look for the word "salt". Also look for the term "sodium" like sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), sodium chloride, monosodium glutamate (MSG), etc.
Some manufacturers provide additional information to indicate a low-sodium or sodium-free products. They may use terms like:
- Sodium-Free or Salt-Free: Less than 5 mg of sodium per serving.
- Low Sodium: 140 mg or less per serving.
- Very Low Sodium: 35 mg or less per serving.
- Without added salt, no salt added, or unsalted: Made without the salt that's normally used, but still contains the sodium that's a natural part of the food.
Most of your salt intake doesn't come from liberal sprinkling at the dinner table. The bulk is hidden in many of the foods that we buy at the grocery store. So be sure to read the labels carefully before making your next buy.
