Monday, August 5, 2013

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Watch your Na intake...

 
 
 
 
Na = Sodium
 
 
 


Sodium helps your body function properly by assisting the muscles and nerves, and regulating blood pressure, among other functions. We need a certain amount of sodium in our everyday diets, but as Americans we way overdo it on the sodium. Have you been trying to eat healthy and exercise and wonder why you feel bloated? I bet you probably need to check your daily sodium intake. Sodium can make you retain water. A lot of foods naturally have sodium in them, and we add extra salt to it to "make it taste good". Not only can a lower sodium diet help you lose weight, but it also can help with high blood pressure and help to prevent heart disease and stroke. Now I know we all want to avoid those things. “Americans of all ages, regardless of individual risk factors, can improve their heart health and reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease by restricting their daily consumption of sodium to less than 1,500 mg,” American Heart Association chief executive officer Nancy Brown said in a statement.






Ok so we know that we should reduce our sodium intake, but it is much harder than you would think. The best way to eat is to eat foods that do not have nutrition labels, fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, and meats that are not packaged. This is not always possible for everyone so the best thing to do is to read your nutrition labels. Make sure you pay attention to the serving size. It may say only 250mg of sodium, but for what serving size. This is very important. I was very surprised when I started looking at the sodium content in my foods.


Sodium chloride or table salt is approximately 40% sodium. Understand just how much sodium is in salt so you can take measures to control your intake.

Americans’ sodium intake breaks down like this:
77% from packaged and restaurant food
12% is naturally occurring in foods
11% from adding salt to food while cooking or at the table


1/4 teaspoon salt = 600 mg sodium
1/2 teaspoon salt = 1,200 mg sodium
3/4 teaspoon salt = 1,800 mg sodium
1 teaspoon salt = 2,400 mg sodium
 
 
 canned soup as much as 950 milligrams per serving
a frozen pizza as much as 2,500 milligrams
canned peas as much as 800 milligrams per serving
pre-made spaghetti sauces have over 1,000 milligrams per cup
one cup of macaroni and cheese has almost 1,000 milligrams of sodium
 

 
Food (100g)
Salt (mg)
Food (100g)
Salt (mg)
Food (100g)
Salt (mg)
Apple juice, bottled
1
Cocoa, dry
6
Peanut butter
607
Apple, raw unpeeled
1
Cocoa, processed
717
Peanuts, roasted
5
Applesauce, sweetened
2
Coconut, fresh
23
Peanuts, salted
418
Asparagus, canned
236
Coffee, beverage,
1
Pears
2
Asparagus, fresh
1
Coffee, instant, dry
72
Peas, cooked
2
Avocado
4
Collards, cooked
25
Peas, dried
40
Bacon, Canadian
2,500
Cookies , plain
365
Peas, green, canned
236
Bacon, cooked
1,021
Cookies, Fig bars
252
Pecans, shelled
0
Baking powder
11,000
Cookies, oatmeal
170
Peppers, green
13
Banana
1
Corn, sweet canned
236
Perch
79
Barly, pearled
3
Corn, sweet, cooked
8
Pickles, dill
1,428
Bean sprouts, cooked
4
Cowpeas, dry, cooked
8
Pickles, relish, sweet
712
Bean, canned
236
Crabmeat, canned
1,000
Pie
350
Beans, canned with pork and tomato sauce
463
Crackers, Graham
670
Pie crust, baked
617
Beans, Lima
1
Crackers, saltines
1,100
Pike, walleye
51
Beans, Lima canned
236
Cranberry juice or sauce
1
Pineapple, raw or canned
1
Beans, snap green, cooked
4
Cream
40
Pizza, cheese
702
Beans, white common, cooked
7
Cucumber
6
Plums
2
Beef hamburger
47
Dates
1
Popcorn, salted with oil
1,940
Beef hash, canned
540
Doughnuts
500
Pork
65
Beef pie or stew, commercial
400
Duck
74
Pork canned ham
1,100
Beef, corned
1,740
Egg, whole, raw
74
Pork, cured ham
930
Beef, dried
4,300
Eggplant, cooked
1
Potato chips
1,000
Beef, roasted broiled or stewed
60
Endive, curly
14
Potatoes, baked, boiled or french fried
5
Beets canned
236
Figs
2
Potatoes, mashed salted
331
Beets, cooked
43
Flounder
78
Pretzels
1,680
Beverage, fruit drink
0
Flour
2
Prunes
4
Beverages, beer
7
Fruit cocktail
5
Pumpkin, canned
2
Beverages, wine
5
Gelatin, dry
0
Radishes
18
Biscuits
630
Grapefruit, fresh, canned or juice
1
Raisins, dried
27
Blackberries
1
Grapes
3
Raspberries
1
Bluefish, cooked
104
Haddock, battered
177
Rhubarb
2
Bouillon cubes
24,000
Haddock, raw
61
Rice, cooked and salted
374
Bread
500
Heart, beef
86
Rice, dry
5
Broccoli, cooked
10
Herring
74
Rolls, bread or sweet
500
Brussel sprouts, cooked
10
Honey
5
Rutabagas
4
Butter, salted
826
Honeydew melon
12
Rye wafers
882
Butter, unsalted
10
Ice cream, vanilla
87
Salad dressing
1,000
Cabbage
20
Jams and preserves
12
Salmon, canned
387
Cakes
300
Jellies
17
Salmon, fresh
64
Candy, caramels, fudge
200
Kale, cooked
43
Sardines, canned
400
Candy, hard
30
Lamb, lean
70
Sauerkraut
747
Cantaloupe
12
Lard
0
Sausage, Bologna
1,300
Carrots
40
Lasagna
490
Sausage, Frankfurter
1,100
Carrots canned
236
Lemon, juice or fresh
1
Sausage, pork
958
Cashews, unsalted
15
Lettuce
9
Scallops,
265
Cauliflower
10
Lime, fresh or juice
1
Shrimp
150
Celery, raw
126
Liver, beef
184
Soup, canned
400
Cereal, Corn grits
1
Liver, pork
111
Spaghetti with meatballs, canned
488
Cereal, Cornmeal
1
Lobster
210
Spaghetti, dry
2
Cereal, Farina, dry
2
Macar0ni,cheese
543
Spinach, raw
71
Cereal, Oatmeal, cooked and salted
218
Macaroni, dry
2
Squash
1
Cereal, Oatmeal, dry
2
Margarine
987
Strawberries
1
Cereal, Rice flakes
987
Milk
50
Sugar, brown
300
Cereal, wheat flakes
1,000
Milk, buttermilk
130
Sugar, white
1
Cereal, wheat, puffed
4
Milk, dried
549
Sunflower seeds
30
Cereal, wheat, shredded
3
Milk, evaporated
106
Sweet potatoes
12
Cereals bran, wheat, crude
9
Molasses, dark
96
Syrup
68
Cereals, commercial
1,100
Molasses, light
15
Tapioca, dry
3
Cheese, cheddar
620
Muffins, plain
441
Tomato juice, canned
200
Cheese, cottage
406
Mushrooms
14
Tomato ketchup
1,042
Cheese, cream
296
Mushrooms, canned
400
Tomato, canned
130
Cheese, Mozzarella
373
Mustard greens
18
Tomato, fresh
3
Cheese, Parmesan
1,862
Mustard, prepared yellow
1,252
Tongue, beef
61
Cheese, processed
1,189
Nectarine
6
Tuna in oil
800
Cheese, Swiss
260
Noodles, dry
5
Turkey,
82
Cherries, Raw
2
Oil, corn
0
Turnips
34
Chicken pot pie, commercial
411
Okra,
2
Veal
80
Chicken, cooked, without skin
80
Olives, green
2,400
Vinegar
1
Chickpeas, dry
8
Onions, green
7
Waffles
475
Chicory
7
Orange , fresh
1
Walnuts
3
Chili con carne, canned with beans
531
Oysters, raw
73
Watermelon
1
Chili powder with seasonings
1,574
Pancakes
425
Wheat germ
827
Chocolate syrup
52
Papayas, raw
3
Yeast active
52
Chocolate, plain
4
Parsley
45
Yeast, compressed
16
Clams, hard, round
205
Parsnips, cooked
8
Yogurt
46
Clams, raw soft
36
Peaches
2

 
 Pay attention to the labels on the front of the packages. Just because it says no salt does not mean there is no sodium.
  • Salt/Sodium-Free → Less than 5 mg of sodium per serving
  • Very Low Sodium → 35 mg of sodium or less per serving
  • Low Sodium → 140 mg of sodium or less per serving
  • Reduced Sodium → At least 25% less sodium than in the original product
  • Light in Sodium or Lightly Salted → At least 50% less sodium than the regular product
  • No-Salt-Added or Unsalted → No salt is added during processing, but not necessarily sodium-free. Check the Nutrition Facts Label to be sure!


  • The best ways to cut your sodium are:
    1. Read the Nutrition Facts Label to see how much sodium is in the foods you are considering. All Americans should consume less than 100% of the Daily Value or less than 2400 mg of sodium each day. Check the label for lower sodium choices and compare sodium in different brands of foods — like frozen meals, packaged soups, breads, dressings/sauces, and snack foods — and choose those with lower sodium.
    2. Prepare your own food when you can.  Don’t salt foods before or during cooking, and limit salt shaker use at the table. We use no-salt instead of salt in our food.
    3. Add Flavor Without Adding Sodium. Use herbs and spices instead of salt to add flavor to your foods. Try rosemary, oregano, basil, curry powder, cayenne pepper, ginger, fresh garlic or garlic powder (not garlic salt), black or red pepper, vinegar or lemon juice, and no-salt seasoning blends.
    4. Get fresh when you can. Buy fresh or frozen (not processed) poultry, pork and lean meat rather than canned, smoked or processed meats like luncheon meats, sausages and corned beef. Fresh foods are generally lower in sodium.  Also, check the package on fresh meat and poultry to see if salt water or saline has been added.
    5. Watch your veggies. Buy fresh, frozen (without sauce), or low sodium or no-salt-added canned vegetables.
    6. Give sodium the “rinse.” Rinse sodium-containing canned foods, such as tuna, vegetables, and beans before using. This removes some of the sodium.
    7. Examine your dairy products. Choose fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, such as milk, yogurt, cheese and fortified soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk in place of processed cheese products and spreads, which are higher in sodium.
    8. “Unsalt” your snacks. Choose unsalted nuts and seeds, and snack products such as chips and pretzels, that are marked “low sodium” or “no-salt-added” – or have a carrot or celery stick instead.
    9. Consider your condiments. Sodium in soy sauce, ketchup, salad dressings, and seasoning packets can add up. Choose liquid aminos instead of soy sauce and no-salt-added ketchup, add oil and vinegar to a salad rather than bottled salad dressings, and choose spices that do not contain sodium, mrs. dash has a wide variety of seasonings and they are all salt free.
    10. Speak up at restaurants. Ask to see the nutrition information in restaurants and choose a lower-sodium option. Ask for your meal to be prepared without salt and request that sauces and salad dressings be served “on the side,” then use less of them. You can also reduce your portion size – less food means less sodium! For example, ask the server to put half of your meal in a take out container before it comes to your table or split an entrée with a dinner companion.




    Do not cut sodium completely out of your diet. You do need some daily in your life, but just be conscientious of your daily intake, and try to limit it.



    Research shows that eating foods high in potassium can lower blood pressure by reducing the adverse effects of sodium on blood pressure. Examples of foods rich in potassium include potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, apricots, bananas, beans, low-fat or non-fat milk and yogurt, and juices (prune, carrot, tomato and orange).



    Here is a sodium tracker to help you keep track of your daily intake. http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@hcm/documents/downloadable/ucm_448279.pdf



    Some yummy low sodium recipes are listed in these websites
    http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20515311,00.html
    http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/healthy_low_sodium_recipes
    http://www.sodiumgirl.com/
    http://thedailydish.us/thanksgiving/60-low-sodium-recipes-for-thanksgiving/




    

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