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March 15, 2010
Tips for Cutting Sodium in Diet
Heart Month may be over, but continue to be good to your heart by cutting back on sodium! Sodium in the diet has been linked to hypertension, heart disease and stroke.
Doctors have known about the relationship between sodium and high blood pressure for more than 100 years, which is why salt was one of the first major targets in campaigns to prevent heart disease. But more recent research has shown that other factors - especially obesity - play a larger role in causing high blood pressure and, in turn, heart disease and stroke.
Losing 20 pounds, for example, can lower systolic blood pressure by 15 to 20 points, research has shown. Americans consume an average of about 3,400 milligrams - or roughly a teaspoon and a half - of salt a day, but cutting sodium to the recommended maximum of 2,300 milligrams can shave two to eight points off the systolic blood pressure.
Taste first: Limit the amount of salt you use at home. Taste foods before adding salt at the table.
Cook from scratch: Prepare more of what you eat in your own kitchen. Processed and premade foods, such as restaurant meals, are usually much higher in salt than what people make themselves.
Watch the snacking: Avoid salty snacks and fast food meals, which are especially high in sodium.
Read labels: Often, products that look exactly the same - cereals or tomato sauces, for example - will have very different sodium levels. A "low-salt" option doesn't always have the least sodium.
Start with a salad: When eating in a restaurant, order a salad first to fill up on low-sodium vegetables. Avoid soups, which are often heavy in salt.
Posted by Lisa at March 15, 2010 3:21 PM
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