Sodium is one of the important constituents of our daily food and salt is major source containing sodium. Sodium in some quantities essential for various metabolic and physiologic processes, but in excess quantities it turns out to be unhealthy.
Excess sodium intake can lead to high blood pressure or hypertension, water retention, kidney problems and heart problems. Low sodium diet plan must be followed in order to reduce the daily sodium intake.
The daily sodium that people consume in the form of table salt, which is added to all recipes for taste, is far more than the requirements of the body. One teaspoon of salt contains about 2300 mg of sodium and daily sodium requirement of the body is 69 mg per day.
Low sodium diet plan involves restricting the daily sodium intake to not more than 2400 mg per day. However, people with problems of blood pressure are recommended to have less than 2000 mg of sodium per day.
The first step towards starting a low sodium diet plan is right from the store when buying groceries. Check the labels for sodium content before purchasing any product. Many products like soups, crackers etc are high in sodium. Make sure to purchase the items low in sodium.
Although, salt is one of the important constituents which adds taste to the food, one can still enjoy the taste of food by reducing the salt and adding other herbs for seasoning instead. Some of the tasty alternatives for seasoning in low sodium diet plan are pepper powder, mustard powder, cumin powder, cloves, basil leaves, coriander powder and lemon juice.
Just including a low salt diet doesn’t necessarily mean that one is following a low sodium diet plan. Sodium is present in various other sources like milk, processed meats, processed food like potato chips and cured meats. Sodium is also high in seasonings and condiments like soy sauce, onion salt, garlic salt, etc.
Most of the readymade food products have added sodium in the form of baking soda or sodium bicarbonate, sodium nitrate, monosodium glutamate and sodium saccharin. Also a number of nuts are available in salted form and hence are rich in sodium.
Most of the readily available drinks and shakes are high in sodium. Most of the medicines also have high sodium content and hence it is wise not to take medicines without medical supervision. Softened water also contains high levels of sodium
Some of the foods that are low in sodium and can be added to a low sodium diet plan include fresh fruits and vegetables like carrots, beans, spinach and many more, fish, poultry, lean meats, unprocessed grains, honey, sugar, seasonings like black pepper, lemon pepper, chilli sauces, toned or skimmed dairy products, soy milk, coffee, tea and herbs like garlic, cloves, cinnamon, rosemary, ginger, cumin, mustard and basil.
Rice, noodles, pasta and barley form a low salt diet when cooked in water without addition of salt. Developing a habit of cooking food without salt and instead adding a little of it while having a meal can be helpful in monitoring the salt or sodium intake.
One of the important things that must be followed during a low sodium diet plan is avoiding eating outside. It is difficult to monitor the sodium levels of food prepared at restaurants or that which is readily available as packaged food. Hence getting low sodium or low salt diet outside is quite difficult.
One must make it a practise to cook the food at home taking into consideration the sodium content in the food in order to benefit from a low sodium diet plan.
The consciousness among people about the ill effects of high sodium food have made people look for better alternatives which is why various low sodium products have started entering the market. Common salt is available in low sodium version.
Also, potassium chloride and magnesium chloride are available as substitutes for common salt which is sodium chloride. However, the tastes of these salt substitutes may resemble that of salt to some extent but not completely. Also, it is wise to take suggestion of a physician before including such substitutes in your low sodium diet plan since people with high levels of potassium in their blood may find such substitutes harmful.
Drinking lots and lots of water along with a low sodium diet plan is also extremely useful in controlling the sodium levels in blood.
Low sodium diet plan is useful for people of all ages and is especially useful for people suffering from blood pressure, kidney problems, heart problems and water retention. Low sodium diet plan if followed can also help in weight loss.
Excess sodium intake can lead to high blood pressure or hypertension, water retention, kidney problems and heart problems. Low sodium diet plan must be followed in order to reduce the daily sodium intake.
The daily sodium that people consume in the form of table salt, which is added to all recipes for taste, is far more than the requirements of the body. One teaspoon of salt contains about 2300 mg of sodium and daily sodium requirement of the body is 69 mg per day.
Low sodium diet plan involves restricting the daily sodium intake to not more than 2400 mg per day. However, people with problems of blood pressure are recommended to have less than 2000 mg of sodium per day.
The first step towards starting a low sodium diet plan is right from the store when buying groceries. Check the labels for sodium content before purchasing any product. Many products like soups, crackers etc are high in sodium. Make sure to purchase the items low in sodium.
Although, salt is one of the important constituents which adds taste to the food, one can still enjoy the taste of food by reducing the salt and adding other herbs for seasoning instead. Some of the tasty alternatives for seasoning in low sodium diet plan are pepper powder, mustard powder, cumin powder, cloves, basil leaves, coriander powder and lemon juice.
Just including a low salt diet doesn’t necessarily mean that one is following a low sodium diet plan. Sodium is present in various other sources like milk, processed meats, processed food like potato chips and cured meats. Sodium is also high in seasonings and condiments like soy sauce, onion salt, garlic salt, etc.
Most of the readymade food products have added sodium in the form of baking soda or sodium bicarbonate, sodium nitrate, monosodium glutamate and sodium saccharin. Also a number of nuts are available in salted form and hence are rich in sodium.
Most of the readily available drinks and shakes are high in sodium. Most of the medicines also have high sodium content and hence it is wise not to take medicines without medical supervision. Softened water also contains high levels of sodium
Some of the foods that are low in sodium and can be added to a low sodium diet plan include fresh fruits and vegetables like carrots, beans, spinach and many more, fish, poultry, lean meats, unprocessed grains, honey, sugar, seasonings like black pepper, lemon pepper, chilli sauces, toned or skimmed dairy products, soy milk, coffee, tea and herbs like garlic, cloves, cinnamon, rosemary, ginger, cumin, mustard and basil.
Rice, noodles, pasta and barley form a low salt diet when cooked in water without addition of salt. Developing a habit of cooking food without salt and instead adding a little of it while having a meal can be helpful in monitoring the salt or sodium intake.
One of the important things that must be followed during a low sodium diet plan is avoiding eating outside. It is difficult to monitor the sodium levels of food prepared at restaurants or that which is readily available as packaged food. Hence getting low sodium or low salt diet outside is quite difficult.
One must make it a practise to cook the food at home taking into consideration the sodium content in the food in order to benefit from a low sodium diet plan.
The consciousness among people about the ill effects of high sodium food have made people look for better alternatives which is why various low sodium products have started entering the market. Common salt is available in low sodium version.
Also, potassium chloride and magnesium chloride are available as substitutes for common salt which is sodium chloride. However, the tastes of these salt substitutes may resemble that of salt to some extent but not completely. Also, it is wise to take suggestion of a physician before including such substitutes in your low sodium diet plan since people with high levels of potassium in their blood may find such substitutes harmful.
Drinking lots and lots of water along with a low sodium diet plan is also extremely useful in controlling the sodium levels in blood.
Low sodium diet plan is useful for people of all ages and is especially useful for people suffering from blood pressure, kidney problems, heart problems and water retention. Low sodium diet plan if followed can also help in weight loss.