Reducing the Risk: Removing Sodium from Your Diet

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By Rachel Derry
Staff Writer LIFamilies

Most consumers are working hard to make healthier, greener choices than they may have in times gone past. Low calories, low fat and sugar-free choices are now almost always readily available so that you can enjoy your favorites without eater's remorse. One nutritional element that is too often overlooked, though, is sodium and salt intake. No matter how low fat your food choices may be, if they are saturated in sodium you are still putting your body in peril.

The CDC and American Heart Association are just two of many health care agencies warning the public about the risks of too much sodium intake. Sodium is one of the main factors to blame in the American epidemic of high blood pressure, because it causes your body to retain fluid and strain the heart. This leaves you at risk for strokes and heart failure. A high sodium diet is also believed to put you at risk for osteoporosis, stomach cancer, and kidney cancer.

You can fight many of these risks by simply lowering your sodium intake as a whole. What are some easy suggestions?

-Figure out and take stock of the main sources of salt in your diet. Many people become accustomed to a lot of dining out or pre-made meals. Often these meals are your highest in sodium! If you are eating at a restaurant, put in the request for no-salt or reduced salt in your order. Most chefs can leave it out entirely in your meal, if you wish. Real the labels on your pre-packaged meals, and don't be afraid to brand hop. If your usual favorite is high in sodium, check similar meals in new brands that you've never tried before. What's the worst case scenario? You never buy it again!

-Try acquiring a taste for spiced, rather than salted. Try seasoning your food with all different dried and fresh herbs or salt-free seasoning blends. This will drastically cut down on the amount of table salt ingested in your home cooking. If recipes do require salt, add it at the end of cooking rather than the beginning. Adding salt early ends up muting the flavor the longer it's mingling with others. Adding it at the end helps you taste it and stops you from needing to add more.

-If your meals do end up being high in sodium, balance them out with fresh fruits and vegetables high in potassium. Potassium helps reduce the effects of salt on blood pressure.

-Try not to buy process, smoked, or cured food. If you do, try to go for the reduced sodium or no salt added versions. Canned foods, such as tuna or vegetable, can be rinsed in water before eaten to help wash away some of the sodium.

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