Salt of the Earth

You have either heard that lowering you salt/sodium intake is healthier for you or your doctor has told you that you need to follow a low sodium diet.

How do you do this and survive?

It depends, especially on how far you should lower your intake.

First for perspective, one teaspoon of salt has about 2500 milligrams (mg), or 2.5 grams, of sodium. Most Americans need only 1,500-4000 mg sodium per day. However, most Americans consume between 3000-5000 mg sodium per day. Big difference.

Many doctors will recommend what is known as a “No Added Salt” or 3-4 grams sodium per day. The diet is what it says: no added salt, that is, no salt at the table and avoid really salty foods such as bacon, ham, and similar lunch meats. Salt may be used in the cooking, but don’t try to make up for what you can’t add at the table. This can be a great first step in changing our habits. At this level, most foods taste the same as what you are used to eating.

Next comes the low sodium, reduced sodium or two-gram sodium diet. The more processed the food, the more sodium it will have in it. In addition to avoiding salt at the table and salty foods, this diet promotes more natural, homemade foods.

Homemade soup, heavy on the spices, herbs and vegetables but no salt, has approximately 100-200 mg sodium per cup.

Most canned soups start at about 800-900 mg sodium per cup.

Mom was right: homemade is better.

Low sodium soups do not necessarily taste good. Think trial and error. For those who like it easier, there are frozen meals that are less than 800 mg per meal, but look at the nutritional information on the label.

Frozen meals in general can start at 1000-2000 mg sodium for one, small tray of food. Restaurant food can be even higher in sodium. Many chain restaurants have websites with nutritional information. Check out the numbers on the website before you go. If you take in more sodium than your doctor advises, it can raise your blood pressure or make you gain so much fluid that your heart will have a harder time beating. There are diuretics or water pills which help with extra fluid. Unfortunately many of these are hard on the kidneys, which isn’t what you want either.

On this diet, foods may taste flat for a while. You can add herb blends such as Mrs. Dash to the cooking to help. Molly McButter is another shaker that is lower sodium, tastes good, and can be added to you plate instead of salt. Salt substitutes should only be taken with your doctor’s permission. With salt substitutes such as “No Salt,” when they removed the sodium, they added potassium; a bitter mineral that can stop your heart if too much is taken. Ask your healthcare provider.

In short, homemade, not processed, foods are healthier, less expensive, and usually taste best.