Information about sodium

For your reference:
1/4 teaspoon salt = 575 mg sodium

1/2 teaspoon salt = 1,150 mg sodium

3/4 teaspoon salt = 1,725 mg sodium

1 teaspoon salt = 2,300 mg sodium

1 teaspoon baking soda= 1,000 mg sodium

Those with congestive heart failure need to eat less than 1 teaspoon a day. In fact, my limit is less than 2,000 mg a day. This is very important! Salt goes hand and hand with heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke. The USDA recommends sodium intake that totals no more than 2,400 mg of sodium per day. The body only requires 500 mg per day! Most Americans consume well over 4,000 mg of sodium per day. Cutting out the excessive salt is good for anyone. Eating too much sodium causes water to build up in your body. This makes the heart work harder. By choosing foods and drinks that have less sodium, you reduce the water held in your body. This reduces the amount of work your heart does and helps you to feel better.


Be aware of both natural and added sodium content in the foods that you eat. The Nutrient Facts Labels found on food products will list the total sodium content of the item per serving. Pay attention to serving sizes as many salty snack foods have a very small serving size. Sodium is found naturally in small amounts in many foods, or it can be added to foods as a food additive-monosodium glutamate (MSG), sodium bicarbonate (baking soda or powder), sodium sulfite, and sodium benzoate. Look at labels for these additives.

When dining out, ask for food prepared without the salt. I've found most places to be very accomodating. If they are not, don't eat there! Watch out for already prepared casseroles dishes such as lasagna and choose dishes that are prepared on the spot so you can control some of the sodium. Ask your server if they have nutrition information available. Some places this is available, and some it is not. Keep portions small and don't cheat. Eating too much salt can mean a trip to the hospital for those with congestive heart failure.

Here are some basic do's and don'ts.

D0

-ask the wait person to remove the salt shaker, so you are not tempted, but leave the pepper for a little zest!

-Request unsalted butter or margarine, it's usually available.

-Enjoy a tray of crispy fresh vegetables

-Help yourself to bread occasionally. Most breads are good choices, but limit yourself to one or two slices.

-Indulge in shrimp coctail---just dress it up with lemon.

-Order salad, but try it with vinegar and oil.....most salad dressings are very high in sodium content.

-Ask your server to prepare your food without salt.

-Order a plain baked potato, rice or pasta---top them with chives, plain yogurt, or no-fat sour cream.

-Choose grilled and broiled meats, fish and poultry; they are easy to make to order.

-Order fresh fruits, fruit ices, or sorbet for desert


Ok, now for some

DONT'S

-Don't have cheese, olives, pickles or pickled vegetables

-Don't have coleslaw or other creamy salads

-Don't have soup! -it's usually a source of hidden sodium. Stay home and make your own if you want soup! Later, I'll post some yummy low sodium recipes.

-Don't have salt sticks (salt-topped soft rolls) or salty crackers.

-Don't have corned beef, pastrami, salami, sausage, jerky, ham, cured or kosher meats, franks or weiners (check out www.saltwatcher.com for a lower sodium hot dog!)

-Don't have sauerkraut

-Don't have croutons, cheese or bacon bits on your salad.

-Don't have salad dressing, another source of hidden sodium (ask for vinegar and oil)

-Don't have cocktail sause, barbecue sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, steak sauce when dining out. There is a no salt added ketchup available in the grocery. I take this with me! There are some low sodium barbecue sauces also available in some groceries.

-Don't have battered or fried main dishes.

-Don't have gravy, cream sauce, or cheese sauces.

-Don't have cakes or pastries---both have hidden sources of sodium.

Menu tips-These danger words mean high salt and/or high fat

Au Gratin, buttered, butter sause, buttery, casserole, cheese sauce, creamed, cream sauce, creamy, crispy, escalloped, scalloped, fried, deep fried, pan fried, gravy, in it's own gravy, hash, hollandaise, parmesan, potpie, prime (the grade of meat with the most fat), sauteed, stuffed.

Ok this is a good start on what to look for when dining out. I'll be back tomorrow to post more tips!