Of all the health challenges, low sodium seems to be the very hardest. That was confirmed recently by a colleague who recently told me he is eating low-sodium. He buys low-sodium broth, tomato sauce, ketchup and low-sodium snacks, which he says are not very flavorful, although he's gotten used to them over time. I immediately went to the Betty Crocker Healthy Heart cookbook, as I recalled that we'd researched and written about it.
If you have high blood pressure, or if it runs in your family, reducing the sodium in your diet by cutting down on salt may help. While our bodies only need about 500 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day to function, the average American consumes closer to 3,300 mg.
For many people, salt isn’t a problem; our kidneys divert the excess salt to be excreted in the urine and sweat. But others who are “salt-sensitive” may find that their bodies can’t handle any excess salt. It causes them to retain water, increasing their blood volume and placing additional strain on their hearts. Eating a low-salt diet—plus losing excess weight and getting regular exercise—can fight this process.
Since there’s no easy way to tell if you’re salt-sensitive, health experts consider it reasonable for everyone to keep their salt intake moderate:
- The American Heart Association suggests we limit our sodium intake to less than 2,400 mg per day, about the amount in 1 teaspoon of salt.
- One great way to cut salt is to eat more fresh foods—preferably home-cooked, so you can control the salt.
- Be sure to read the labels to find foods that are lower in sodium. Look for the many reduced-sodium and low-sodium versions of your favorite foods.
Instead of Salt, Sprinkle On:
Try one or more of these ways to flavor your foods without using salt.
- Lemon juice
- Vinegar (herbal varieties, sherry or rice wine vinegar, or balsamic vinegar)
- Chopped fresh or dried herbs
- Salt-free seasoning blends
- Grated lemon, lime, or orange zest
- Chopped fresh chile peppers
- Sautéed chopped onions, garlic, and/or minced fresh ginger root
A DASH of Good News
Can diet really make a difference in managing high blood pressure? Findings from the DASH Study (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) indicate it can. When people ate more fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products—and less saturated fat—than a typical American diet, their blood pressures dropped significantly. In some cases, the effects were similar to those achieved by taking medication! A later study found the DASH diet was even more effective if salt was also reduced; the less sodium consumed, the more blood pressure dropped.
For more info on blood pressure and low sodium, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute web site is a great resource: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Hbp/HBP_Treatments.html
For great-tasting low-sodium recipes: http://www.bettycrocker.com/search/searchresults.aspx?terms=low+sodium