Sodium can be stealthy, hiding in seemingly innocent foods. But a few simple sleuthing skills will help you root out the culprit.
Carefully read food labels. Note the serving size, which may be much less than you’d actually eat. The goal is to consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day. If you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure, however, you should aim try to consume fewer than 1,500 milligrams of sodium. Of course you’ll look for foods marked as “low sodium” or “sodium free” as well as foods that aren’t processed. Avoid absurdly high-in-sodium fast food and other highly processed items such as like lunchmeats, hot dogs, and American cheese.
Remember that some foods—seafood, for instance—can be naturally high in sodium. So processed seafood such as fish sticks contain especially high levels. Vegetables that are naturally high in sodium, including corn, carrots, beets, celery, chard, kale, spinach, and endive, should be enjoyed fresh or canned with no salt added. If you’re in a pinch, rinse canned foods packed with salt with water before eating.
Many pork and chicken products have been brined, and nearly all shrimp, even those listed as being fresh, have been salted to help preserve them. Look for the term “self-basting” for a hint that a food has been brined. And a good gumshoe doesn’t overlook the obvious, so be sure to avoid salt that you can “see,” such as a salted crackers, pretzels, or popcorn.
To strictly follow a low-sodium diet, you should make an effort to cook from scratch because frozen dinners, packaged mixes, and ready-to-assemble foods are high in sodium, and many of the preservatives manufacturers rely on are also based in salt.
Donald Gazzaniga, coauthor of The No-Salt, Lowest-Sodium International Cookbook, says medications and supplements can also be sources of sodium. “For instance, a popular chondroitin glucosamine product has 2,000 milligrams of sodium per tablet. A multivitamin generally contains about 60 milligrams of sodium per tablet. Ask your pharmacist to list the sodium content on your medication labels.”
Although we know that fast food is excessively salty, restaurant meals can be just as bad. Salt is a mainstay for most chefs, and they often cook with ingredients from cans, bottles, or that have been frozen with salt or brined.
At home, keep in mind that vinegar and chili peppers are two low-sodium flavors that can add a lot of punch to a variety of dishes. Some preparations with innocuous-sounding names (for instance, “lemon pepper,”) and products such as meat tenderizers are high in sodium, so choose salt-free herbal blends. Foods that have been cured (think pickles, olives, and sauerkraut) are loaded with salt. Carefully check the labels of condiments such as relish, mayonnaise, salad dressings, and spice mixes. Sodium sleuths should also be on the lookout for the word “sauce,” as most products bearing the moniker (eg, soy sauce, steak sauce, Worcestershire sauce, barbeque sauce) should be avoided or used sparingly.
Fuente:http://www.tdn-digital.com/article_062810_01.shtml
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