Halt the salt!

Q: I have a very bad salt habit, and it’s affecting my blood pressure. I've tried to just cook with it and not add any to my food afterwards, but food just doesn’t taste good to me without it. What can I do?
—Sandra, 54, DeKalb, Illinois

A: Sodium is found naturally in foods such as dairy, meat, and some vegetables, so if you’re adding salt while you cook, and again once your food is plated, you’ll be well over your daily salt limit. It’s a very common problem. In fact, the average American eats about 1-3 teaspoons of salt per day or 2400-7200 mg of sodium, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). No wonder we have a taste for it!

Shockingly, our bodies need just 200 mg a day to maintain the right balance of fluids, help transmit nerve impulses, and influence contraction and relaxation of muscles. Too much salt can affect blood pressure and cause hypertension, which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the number one killer in the United States. The AHA maintains that healthy Americans should take in 2300 mg of sodium, or about 1 teaspoon, per day. But the CDC issued a report just last week stating that, because of certain risk factors (being over 40, being African American, and having high blood pressure) a full 70% of American adults should limit their intake to 1500 mg a day. To kick the salt habit, follow these tips:

Pick pepper Ditch your salt shaker and use pepper instead. Once you start weaning yourself off salt, your cravings for it will diminish. Experiment with various spices to add flavor to your dishes. If that doesn’t do it for you, add lemon or cook with low-sodium chicken broth.

Stay away from processed foods Seventy-five percent of our sodium intake comes from processed foods. Anything that contains 5-19% of the daily value for sodium or has <140 mg of sodium per serving is considered a low-sodium product.

Read the label Become label savvy and read ingredient lists for added sodium. Look out for ingredients containing sodium and soda, such as sodium chloride (salt), monosodium glutamate (MSG), and sodium bicarbonate, to name a few. When packages are labeled “light sodium,” it means they contain 50% less sodium than the natural product, while the word “reduced” indicates they contain 25% less.

Increase other nutrients Research indicates that adequate intake of calcium, magnesium, and potassium may help lower blood pressure. Meet these needs by eating a balanced diet. Good sources include spinach, green beans, almonds, lima beans, lentils, kidney beans, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, halibut, tuna, bananas, orange juice, and dairy products (remember to choose low-fat).

Not sure how much sodium you’re eating? Check out the American Heart Association’s online quiz to figure out your intake.

Comments (2)

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Monday April 13, 2009 Carol Masser wrote:

... I need to follow a low sodium diet, and am also working on weight loss. So many of the recommended foods and recipes don't consider sodium, don't list the amount. Is there a resource for dieters who want to accomplish good nutrition including weight loss and reduced sodium? I'm about to think I have to eat all fresh veggies and fruit, but then I run into a problem because of taking Coumadin - increased Vit K in green veggies. It's challenging! I am a label reader, have been for many years.

Monday April 13, 2009 Elizabeth Bergman, RD, LD/N wrote:

... The DASH diet is specifically geared towards the population looking for ways to decrease sodium intake. Fortunately, that does mean including lots of fruits and veggies. There is no way to get around that fact. And coumadin interactions, unfortunately, include more than just greens. New research includes certain oils, onions, and other random ingredients we didn't think of before! Check out www.drgourmet.com for more info.

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