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Less is More When It Comes to Sodium Although sodium is an essential nutrient, excess sodium has some serious effects on overall health. The body uses sodium to regulate blood pressure and liquid retention. Sodium is needed to transport nutrients, transmit nerve impulses, and contract muscles. When sodium levels are too high the kidneys release more water increasing blood volume. This in turn raises blood pressure and the heart has to work harder to pump blood. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is a major cause of heart attacks and strokes. Reducing salt intake is one of the first things medical professionals recommend to lower blood pressure and risk of heart attacks and strokes. Table salt is actually sodium chloride and only 40 percent is sodium. Nutritionists recommend a daily intake of 2300 mg per day or less, especially for people predisposed to develop hypertension, African Americans, obese people and those with a family history of heart disease and hypertension. It is recommended that those over 50 limit their daily sodium intake to 1500 mg and seniors over 70 consume less that 1200 mg per day. The best news is that whenever you start to reduce sodium in your diet, it decreases your chance of developing these life-threatening conditions. As a first step everyone tries to reduce the amount of salt that they add at the table, but this actually only accounts for about 10 percent of the sodium in our diet. The biggest source of sodium in the diet is processed foods that provide 70 to 75 percent of daily intake. The following are high sources of sodium: bacon, ham, sausage and other cured meats, canned or frozen vegetables, frozen dinners, sauces, salad dressing, fast foods, instant cooked cereals, canned and dry soups, packaged mixes, snack foods and seasoning mixes. It requires a lot of thought to eat a healthy balanced diet. When the fat and/or sugar are reduced in processed foods (a good thing), salt is usually increased to increase flavor and texture and sometimes to decrease bitterness. Reading labels carefully is the best way to limit or reduce your sodium intake. Always consider the serving size; small cans can still provide two servings but the nutritional label lists values for one. Foods labeled “low salt” or “low sodium” must contain 140 mg sodium or less per serving. By preparing food at home you can significantly reduce the amount of sodium. Choosing low sodium alternatives is another good change. Food labels list salt as sodium in milligrams. Also look for other sodium compounds such as MSG (monosodium glutamate), baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), sodium alginate and sodium citrate. Foods can be labeled low-sodium, reduced sodium and no salt added. Some foods contain sodium naturally and may be labeled “no salt added” but will still contain sodium. Headache and heartburn medicines can also contain sodium compounds, so ask a medical professional what remedy is best for you. Start with These Dietary Changes • In addition to removing the saltshaker from the dining table, prepare more foods from scratch. Besides being in control of added salt, vitamins and antioxidants are also higher in minimally processed foods. • Study labels. Different brands of the same food, such as ranch dressing, contain different amounts of sodium. Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce are also high, so use these in moderation and substitute low-sodium soy sauce. Many canned foods including vegetables such as tomatoes are manufactured with low-salt alternatives or “no salt added.” Draining and rinsing canned vegetables significantly reduces sodium. Snack foods are notorious for being salty but more and more are becoming available with reduced salt. • Make your own salad dressing using healthy canola oil, lemon juice and a little Dijon mustard. Instead of purchasing marinated chicken breasts, prepare a simple marinade at home or try the recipe for Jerk Chicken. Instead of salting vegetables during cooking sprinkle with a little lemon juice, balsamic vinegar or fresh herbs just before servings. Try fresh herbs and alternative seasoning mixtures but read the label carefully to check salt content. • Salty is one of the basic components of taste but is also a learned preference. By decreasing dietary salt (and sodium) your flavor buds will adjust and will find lower amounts of salt adequate and no longer crave salt. Because processed foods and restaurants meals both contain high amounts of salt, the more food you prepare at home, the less sodium in your diet. More information and recipes at www.PatCooksandBakes.blogspot.com Recipe Lime juice, a jalapeno chile, garlic and spices combine to add plenty of zippy flavor to boneless chicken breasts so there is little need for salt. Increase the chile or garlic to your own tastes. I’ve also used fresh chopped mango in the salsa calling to mind sunny Caribbean shores. Grilled Jerk Chicken with Pineapple Salsa Makes 2 servings Pineapple Salsa 1 teaspoon brown sugar Combine the ingredients for the salsa in a medium bowl and mix well. Cover and chill until serving. Combine the brown sugar, red pepper, thyme, salt, allspice, cloves, and garlic in a resealable food storage bag. Add the lime juice and canola oil and mix well. Add Heat the grill until the coals are medium. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade. Pat the chicken dry. Place the chicken on the grill rack. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, turning once until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle. Serve with Pineapple Salsa. |
The Healthy Table