First, I would like thank everyone for their input. Special thanks to those of you who know a little something about this... since I am not one of you. You teaching me will definitely be one of my favorite parts about this whole thing. I'm looking forward to it! Carry on...
As much as my mouth waters for chocolate (and boy does it), even my husband will tell you that I'm a salty girl. We rarely keep chips or highly salted snack foods around the house but pinches of salt find their way into sautéed vegetable dishes, chicken marinade, and anything else that my highly advanced cooking skill is unable to make flavorful.
In my sodium research I was reminded that high sodium content isn't found in just those greasy bags of chips or the "S" shaker clasped in your palm even before your first bite. Salt has been used for ages in processing and preserving food for later usage. So when I decide to buy canned green beans because the fresh ones have gotten too expensive, I'm consequently increasing my sodium intake. Canned soup, cured meats, packaged mixes and frozen dinners all contain very high sodium levels. These can all assist in your journey to a little thing called "high blood pressure."
What to look for:
"No salt added" and "low sodium" canned and other foods that are generally high in sodium are fairly accessible. When shopping look for this on the label. There are different levels in the lowness of sodium, so here's what it means when you read these labels:
Sodium Free: is 5 mg or less per serving.
Very Low Sodium: 35 mg or less per serving.
Low Sodium: 140 mg or less per serving.
Reduced Sodium: means the product has about 25% less sodium than the item would normally have.
Unsalted, or No Added Salt: means what it says. However, you should still check the sodium content as it just means there was no salt added during the processing.
New Ideas!
The American Dietetic Association (ADA) has a salt free seasoning guide that I thought looked pretty good. Here are a few of their ideas...
Asparagus: lemon-pepper, onion and herb salt-free seasoning
Broccoli: Italian, or multi purpose salt-free seasoning
Carrots: garlic and multi purpose salt-free seasoning
Potatoes: garlic and herb, onion and herb, tomato, basil, garlic salt-free seasoning
So here's to sodium-reduced living. Because that means I can still eat brownies. Right?
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13 years ago
5 comments:
I just thought I'd let you know that there is are several "salt alternatives" out there too. They do taste slightly different from actual sodium chloride, but they are similar enough. Some will contain NO sodium chloride while some may contain a very small amount. Depending upon what you're looking for, check the labels. Salt substitutes' main ingredient is potassium chloride... an ingredient that is radioactive but will NOT increase your radiation exposure. "NuSalt" and "NoSalt" are the two substitutes that I've tried. They can be found at local grocery stores and are both pretty decent. I mean, yes, you'll taste a difference, but it's kind of like Splenda and sugar. They taste slightly different, but after awhile your tastebuds will adjust. You can find other substitutes at places like Whole Foods Market, but you will really be praying extra for the fancy packaging. The ingredients are pretty much the same.
Oh... another WONDERFUL about consuming less sodium chloride... you will experience significantly less bloating because your body will not retain nearly as much water. :-)
I forgot, I've also tried AlsoSalt. That is probably my favorite, and has no sodium at all.
brownies have salt
if brownies having salt makes them wrong to eat, i don't want to be right.
Thanks Becky, that's really interesting and helpful. Zetti and Andie... I must agree with you both.
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