June 8, 2011 How to Reduce Salt in Your Diet
How to avoid salt in your diet when most of the food you buy in a grocery store are laden with salt. Over 75% of the salt intake today comes from processed foods, bread, cereals, sauces which can cause stroke, high blood pressure, heart diseases and heart attacks.
Prepared pizza, pizza pockets, TV dinners, frozen dinners, sausages, soup mixes, canned soups and prepared sandwiches and crackers are all high in salt or sodium chloride.
Photo: All Packaged Foods are High in Salt
High Salt Foods Include all Canned and Packaged Foods
The biggest culprit in salty foods are snack foods, processed foods, foods in a boxed, meals to go and any foods prepared in a food factory have high salt content.
The salt is used as a preservative in processed foods to extend shelf life for profits however, this practice is causing hypertension, high blood pressure and sickness in human health for the public.
Governments have requested food manufacturers to reduce salt as an ingredient however very little change has been initiated.
Salt as a Preservative in Food is Not Healthy
When dieters eat a great amount of these types of food, they are loaded up with salt and weight gain is accelerated. The added side effect is high blood pressure which will require a life time of medications to balance, therefore avoiding HBP is always a prevention method.
What Foods to Eat to Avoid Salt
Salty Chips, peanuts, processed sauces, side dishes in a box and just about any food sold in a cardboard box will contain high amounts of salt. Bacon is also high in salt, ham, salami, processed meat slices, gravy mixes, cheeses, olives, pickled products and salty fish.
What Foods to Eat to Avoid High Blood Pressure
Fruit, vegetables, whole foods, organic foods, naturally grown foods, unprocessed foods and food that grows in the ground without chemical additives, preservatives and pesticides.
Photo: LOW SALT FOODS
Low Salt Foods-Fresh Fruits and Vegetables are all Low Salt
Kidney Damage Due to High Salt Diets
Human kidneys cannot handle excess sodium and causes a fluid build up in the body and especially the blood stream. Edema or swollen legs, hand or face will be present in a high salt diet and shortness of breath is another side effect to a high salt diet.
Especially in babies kidney damage is due to high salt in the diet and adults also will retain water with a high salt diet. Chronic Kidney Disease or CKD will require a managed diet, medical attention and a change in food choices. If kidney disease progresses, dialysis will be necessary as well as blood pressure drugs for a lifetime. Prevention is much cheaper than these two end results of a high salt diet.
Read the Food Labels
How much salt is too much salt? For accuracy read the label of any products you buy in the grocery store. Salt is labeled: Sodium Chloride.
Read the Food Labels for Salt or Sodium
How Much Salt is Safe?
Salt Content of more than: 1.5 grams per 100 grams (0.6 grams sodium) HIGH
Salt Content of less than: 0.3 grams per 100 grams (0.1 grams sodium) is BETTER
Any Food in Between: 0.3 grams and 1.5 grams USE CAUTION
Babies and Children’s Salt Intake
Children should never be fed as much salt as an adult because their bodies are much smaller and their kidneys cannot process excess salt.
Breast Fed Children get enough salt from breast milk which is adequate.
Keep a Food Diary
Keep track of the foods you eat in a Diet Diary will teach you which foods you are eating that you can avoid and which foods you can eliminate to keep your body healthy. This includes all beverages from soft drinks, juices, bottled mineral water to any liquid intake.
Eating in Restaurants
When eating out at any restaurant, ask for low salt or no salt alternatives in your meal choices. Most restaurants used packaged rice mixes, soup mixes and salty ingredients in their menus. Always ask for alternatives and order fresh organic foods like fruits and vegetables be included in your food orders when eating out for meals. All fast food outlets will contain high salt menu items that are very high in sodium and rarely do they label the quantity of sodium or fat.
Video: How to Reduce Salt in Your Diet
