Sodium Reduction

Low Salt Diet BAD for Your Health? Could Be…

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July 20, 2011
by Kerri in , ,

Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum (a recognized expert on fibromyalgia), has posted an interesting article, reporting on some studies linking low salt consumption to health problems.

We’ve all been told all our lives that too much salt is a bad thing. Experts are now saying: not so fast.

I blogged about my own dawning realization about the importance of salt here.

Here’s a quick quote from Dr. Teitelbaum’s article:

Most importantly, for people with CFS and fibromyalgia, restricting salt is a setup for crashing and burning, and is very ill-advised — especially in summertime, when you sweat and have more salt loss.

Salt restriction is also a terrible idea if you have adrenal exhaustion. How do you know if you’ve got that problem? The symptoms include intense irritability when hungry, low blood pressure, and a tendency to collapse physically, mentally and emotionally when you’re under too much stress. Salt supports the adrenals.

Read the full article here.

Sodium, Chapter 2

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November 9, 2010
by Kerri in

Well, Duh!

I feel really, REALLY stupid. Checking out the sodium content of various foods, it’s easy to come to a quick conclusion: if you need to lower your sodium intake, stay away from processed foods!

Although this seems, in retrospect, OBVIOUS, it wasn’t obvious to me before today.

I really didn’t see much harm in my husband indulging his love for Sonic’s SuperSonic Breakfast Burrito. I even enabled his addiction by driving to Sonic myself to get them for him, every morning. Some days, I would have one, too, but most days I would fix my own scrambled eggs and toast. As I mentioned in the previous post, my husband’s been eating 2 SuperSonic Breakfast Burritoes every day for the last few months, adding a WHOPPING 3600 mg of sodium to his daily intake.

Now, sifting through the info on the net, it’s beginning to look to me like America’s been deceiving herself.

Look around you–overweight people are everywhere. But how many are really just carrying around an extra 10-15 pounds of water weight because their bodies are being impacted by consuming TOO MUCH SODIUM (in whatever form–sodium chloride like table salt or MSG–monosodium glutamate–added to make food “tastier”)?

My husband’s an interesting object lesson here. I’ll post more on this soon, but what I’m learning seems like something I should have realized before–the more processed a food is, the higher it is in sodium. I’m horrified by the numbers regarding fast foods, frozen dinners, canned soups, canned vegetables, and even ketchup!

The bright spots: eat fresh fruits & vegetables (without the HIGH SODIUM SALAD DRESSINGS)! Most meats are fine, too. So are most dried fruits. Which means it’s time to crack open my cookbook and get back to making home-cooked meals.

I’ve compiled & posted a quick “pick list” of sodium-containing foods and smarter choices. This is not an exhaustive or detailed list, but it does give us a little guidance for making smarter food choices.

More info to come!

Simple Sodium Chart

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November 7, 2010
by Kerri in

Here’s a handy table, summing up some generalized guidelines that will help you learn how to moderate your sodium consumption. Lower sodium diets are essential for some people, including those who suffer from Congestive Heart Failure (CHF).

I started checking into this issue when I realized my husband seemed to be suffering from too much dietary sodium (See this Post).

Little changes can make a BIG difference:

Beverages:

Say Yes: Coffee, tea, soft drinks, fruit flavored drinks that do not contain sodium

Say No: Softened water; carbonated beverages with sodium or salt added; check with physician about alcoholic beverages

Condiments:

Say Yes: Fresh and dried herbs; lemon juice; low-sodium mustard, vinegar, Tabasco sauce; low-sodium or no-salt-added ketchup; extracts (almond, lemon, vanilla); baking chocolate and cocoa; seasoning blends that do not contain salt

Say No: Table salt, lite salt, bouillon cubes, meat extract, Worcestershire sauce, tartar sauce, ketchup, chili sauce, cooking wines, onion salt, prepared mustard, garlic salt, meat flavorings, meat tenderizers, steak and barbecue sauce, seasoned salt, monosodium glutamate (MSG), Dutch processed cocoa

Breads

Say Yes: English muffin; white, wheat, pumpernickel, other types of regular or unsalted bread and rolls

Say No: Sweet rolls, breads or rolls with salted tops, packaged cracker or bread crumb coatings, packaged stuffing mixes, biscuits, corn bread

Cereals:

Say Yes: Regular cooked cereals such as oats, cream of wheat, rice, or farina; puffed wheat; puffed rice; shredded wheat

Say No: Instant hot cereals, any other regular ready-to-eat cereals

Crackers and Other Snacks:

Say Yes: All unsalted crackers and snack foods, unsalted peanut butter

Say No: Salted crackers and snack items, regular peanut butter, party spreads and dips

Pasta, Rice, and Potatoes:

Say Yes: All types of pastas such as macaroni, spaghetti, rigatoni, ziti; potatoes, rice

Say No: Macaroni and cheese mix; seasoned rice, noodle, and spaghetti mixes; canned spaghetti; frozen lasagna, macaroni and cheese, rice, and pasta dishes; instant potatoes; seasoned potato mixes

Beans:

Say Yes: Dried beans and peas: pinto beans, white northern beans, black-eyed peas, lima beans, lentils, split peas, etc.

Say No: Any beans or peas prepared with ham, bacon, salt pork, or bacon grease; all canned beans

Meats & Main Dishes:

Say Yes: Fresh or frozen meat, poultry, and fish; low sodium canned tuna and salmon; eggs

Say No: Salted, smoked, canned, spiced, and pickled meats, poultry and fish; bacon; ham; sausage; scrapple; regular canned tuna or salmon; cold cuts; luncheon meats; hot dogs; pre-breaded frozen meats, fish, and poultry; TV dinners; meat pies; kosher meats

Fruits and Vegetables:

Say Yes: Fresh, frozen, or low-sodium canned vegetables (i.e. “No Salt Added”) or vegetable juices; low sodium tomato paste and sauce; fresh, canned, or frozen fruit and juices

Say No: Regular canned vegetables and vegetable juices, regular tomato sauce and tomato paste, olives, pickles, relishes, sauerkraut or vegetables packed in brine, frozen vegetables in butter or sauces, crystallized and glazed fruit, maraschino cherries, fruit dried with sodium sulfite

Dairy Products:

Say Yes: Milk, cream, sour cream, non-dairy creamer, yogurt, low-sodium cottage cheese, low sodium cheese

Say No: Buttermilk, Dutch processed chocolate milk, processed cheese slices and spreads, regular cheese, cottage cheese

Fats and Oils:

Say Yes: Mayonnaise (limited to 4 teaspoons per day); unsalted butter, cooking oils, Olive Oil, shortening; salt free gravies, cream sauces, and salad dressings

Say No: Bacon grease; salt pork; commercially prepared sauces, gravies, and packaged/commercial salad dressings

Soups:

Say Yes: Salt-free soups and low-sodium bouillon cubes

Say No: Regular commercially canned or prepared soups, stews, broths, or bouillon; packaged and frozen soups

Desserts & Sweets:

Say Yes: Gelatin, sherbet, fruit ices, pudding and ice cream as part of milk allowance, angel food cake, salt-free baked goods, sugar, honey, jam, jelly, marmalade, syrup

Say No: Regular commercially prepared and packaged baked goods, chocolate candy

Out with the Oreos!

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November 1, 2010
by Kerri in

Am I ever learning a lot about Sodium;  I just started to eat an Oreo and decided I’d better look at the label first (what’s good for my husband’s got to be good for me).  I never realized that those delightful little chocolate bites with the sugary middles could be full of SODIUM–yeah, like about 55 milligrams A COOKIE (and who among ye can eat just ONE?)  160 mg for a “3 cookie” serving.

They just went in the trash.

More later. I’m eating a banana. 1 mg of sodium.

Now, What Can I EAT??? Avocado Omelette for 2

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October 28, 2010
by Kerri in ,

Well, we’re learning.

After 3 consecutive breakfasts of a healthy, low sodium oatmeal with cinnamon and raisins (with added 0 sodium Unsalted Butter and plain ‘ol sugar with a dash of Lactaid reduced-fat milk), my previously burrito-addicted husband is already screaming “MERCY!”

He suggested eggs and sausage. NO. Too much sodium. A few other vetoed ideas. Then, a new dish emerged from my newly-acquired knowledgebase. I have learned that the lowest sodium cheeses are Swiss and *Fresh* Mozzarella. Avocados and pimientos have 0 sodium. Onions’ sodium content is negligible. Unsalted Butter: 0 mg sodium. Oh, and “Mrs. Dash” will become your new BFF (0 sodium seasoning blends, found in the spice section of your favorite grocery store or online at AMAZON).

And here we have an Avocado Omelette for 2:

2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, divided
1/4 cup diced White Onion
1-2 tablespoons Pimiento (if you’re trendy, this is also known as “Roasted Red Peppers”)
1 slice Swiss Cheese, cut in strips (Albertson’s brand, 35 mg sodium).
5 Cage Free Eggs, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Mrs. Dash Onion & Herb seasoning
1/2 nicely ripe California Avocado, peeled and cut into strips

1. Saute onion in 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat until translucent.
2. Sprinkle in about 1/3 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Onion & Herb seasoning.
3. Add pimientos, stir 1 minute over heat, then remove from heat & set aside.
4. Heat a clean omelette pan (I love my Chantal Enamel-on-Steel 8-Inch Omelet Pan, Cobalt Blue) over medium low heat with 1 tablespoon unsalted butter.
5. When butter is evenly melted & spread over the bottom of the pan, gently pour in the egg mixture. Cooking time varies. I hope you know how to make an omelette, but if you don’t, leave a COMMENT & I’ll post more detailed instructions. BTW, there’s no shame in not knowing; the shame comes from never asking “how do I do that?”
6. After omelette has set and top is drying nicely, arrange the Swiss Cheese strips evenly over omelette & cover with a see-through lid. Continue to cook about a minute, then remove from heat. I like to let my omelettes rest, covered, for 3-4 minutes).
7. When cheese is melted and top of omelette is completely cooked, spread onion/pimiento mixture evenly over omelette, sprinkle with a little more Mrs. Dash Onion/Herb, then top 1/2 of the omelette with the sliced avocado.
8. Flip one half over the other, cut in two to serve, and remove each half to its respective plate.

Approximate sodium content per serving: 180 mg sodium (mostly from the eggs!)

We enjoyed this with one piece of toasted Pepperidge Farm Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Bread (100 mg sodium) topped with unsalted butter. Best to forego the toast if you are severely restricting your sodium.

If you opt for toast, approximate sodium intake per person: 280 mg sodium.

Yum! I can do this. And, by the way, after just 2 days of reducing dietary sodium intake, my husband is feeling much, much better and more energetic. He has lost 5 pounds since Monday morning (it’s early Thursday afternoon).

In The American Gourmet Collection Cookbook?
NO.

Sodium in Foods at Chain Restaurants: Apalling…

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October 24, 2010
by Kerri in

I’m trying to learn all I can about reducing sodium in our food, as quickly as I can.

If you’re concerned about your sodium consumption and how it may be affecting your waistline and your health, then you’ve got to read this article by David Zinczenko (with Matt Goulding) in Men’s Health Magazine.

Personally, I am in utter shock. According to the authors:

“A mere teaspoon of salt contains all 2,300 milligrams (mg) of your recommended daily allotment, yet daily salt consumption is on the rise in the United States — from 2,300 mg in the 1970s to more than 3,300 mg today. And according to Monell Chemical Senses Center researchers, 77 percent of that sodium intake comes from processed-food purveyors and restaurants. Their motivation: Pile on the salt so we don’t miss natural flavors and fresh ingredients.”

And the saltiest dish in America IS: Romano’s Macaroni Grill Chicken Portobello, which weighs in at an incredible 7,300 mg sodium, 1,020 calories and 66 g fat.

Please, do yourself a favor and read this article!

Ack! I Precipitated a CRISIS…

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November 6, 2009
by Kerri in , ,

Well, here we are, further down the road and WISER.

In my first post on the blog, I mentioned that my husband was tired, bloated, unable to lose weight no matter what he did (read it here) and I had realized that it MIGHT be the sodium in his diet, since he was eating a high-sodium diet, rich in processed foods.

So, we restricted the sodium and he lost about 5 pounds in a week. Sounds good!

BUT: I didn’t have time to post this while it was happening, but my low sodium solution precipitated a crisis–he gradually… started…. to…. lose… ALL…. his…. energy…. After about 3 days, he started feeling really, really bad and couldn’t even do 10 minutes on the treadmill. And he was getting more tired and more exhausted by the hour. I seemed to be watching the life drain out of him by the minute. Checked blood pressure: okay but not great–a little elevated for him, but not bad. Checked blood oxygen (with an oxymeter)—it was low.

Then, he drank a cup of decaf coffee and bloated up like a human balloon. His stomach swelled like someone had pumped about 2 gallons of air into his belly.

The next day, helping a neighbor with a small project outside, he began to feel weak and tired, began sweating profusely and his skin was cold and clammy, even though the temperature outside was in the ’80s. He came inside. We put him under the cool breeze of a ceiling fan, he drank a glass of cool water, we took his blood pressure (still slightly elevated but not bad), and set to work to solve the mystery.

In a nutshell, after even more research, we have discovered what we now think is the root cause of his fatigue, inability to lose weight, the clammy sweating problem, the weakness and tiredness.

Cutting out the salt precipitated a crisis that lead us to our solution: he seems to have Adrenal Fatigue.

Since the salt worsened the fatigue, I Googled salt +fatigue and found our answer.  Much to my amazement, I found that people who are experiencing adrenal fatigue issues (more about that later) require MORE salt than normal people.  Not just a little more, but a LOT more.  The typical person requires between 1200 and 2400 mg of sodium per day.  Someone in adrenal fatigue can require anywhere from 2000 mg to 10,000 mg per day!

My conclusion is that my husband was self-medicating his adrenal fatigue issue by eating fast food (i.e. 2 Sonic Supersonic Breakfast Burritos each morning, for 3600 mg of sodium).

So, we fed him some salty food (his favorite Sonic burritos) and he bounced back IMMEDIATELY. He felt fine (although still a little tired); the crisis had passed. I kept researching & I’ll post more about how we’re working on this issue very soon.

Should You Consider Lowering Your Sodium Intake?

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October 19, 2009
by Kerri in

I’ve been super busy (aren’t we all), trying to juggle a career, home, and day to day life and have REALLY been slow to launch Kerri’s Kitchen.

And I’ve asked myself, when in the world will I have the time to add to my blog?

So I’ve decided to take you along on a ride.

I’m in the middle of investigating just exactly WHAT is wrong with my husband.

He’s been tired, bloated, unable to lose weight regardless of how much calorie restriction or exercise he does. We’ve tried B12 shots, sublingual B12, increased protein, decreased protein, limiting carbs, upping carbs, the blood type diet, adjusting the acid/alkaline balance and just about everything else you can imagine. We’ve been through Splenda, Sweet n Low, Stevia, honey, agave, and then back to just plain old sugar (which actually made him feel a lot better–more about that in a minute, because now I think I know why).

Then, last night, I had an epiphany!

I realized there seemed to be a correlation between my husband’s energy levels and his obsessive love of Sonic’s Supersonic Breakfast Burrito. He has had 2 of these, almost every morning, for the last 2 or 3 months.

Then it hit me: Sodium. I bet they’re full of sodium. That would explain the water retention (bloating) and maybe even the tired feeling. And his (what I considered irrational) craving for salt.

Well, I checked it out here and HELLO! He’s been taking in a whopping 3600 mg+ of sodium with every breakfast meal for MONTHS.

So, now I’m working on educating myself & I’ll share what I learn here; more to come soon!

2400 mg Sodium in a Teaspoon of Salt

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October 19, 2009
by Kerri in

FYI, a teaspoon of table salt contains 2400 mg of sodium. Check out the American Heart Association’s information page here.

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