I have a 2000mg/day sodium restriction, so it takes some work to limit my intake, but I've learned some great substitutes. I buy salt-free butter, and instead of adding salt to my recipes I use stuff like Mrs. Dash, onion powder, garlic powder, dried basil, and lime juice.
I'm on
1500...at least I recently discovered the joy of microwave baked potatoes, only drawback is the skins aren't quite as "crusty" as traditional, but definitely very bit as fluffy when done right,
I use a dash of curry powder, unsalted butter, and sour cream to dress 'em up.
But for the first couple of months I was starving all the time while trying to stay under limit.
NO more canned soup or canned/processed meat. When it says "low fat" or "low calory" you can bet it's gonna be a sodium bomb. (Check out the new "vegan burgers" like the impossible burger).
Almost any slice of bread you can name is at least 120mg, bagels as much as 500 (!)
Just about any condiment you can name, around 150mg for 2 tablespoons
SO a simple hamburger with 2 tbs mayo and 2 tbs catsup comes in around 640mg with bun and burger, no matter how much tomato and onion and lettuce you add.
Nutrition labels are my friends, now.
I don't eat much in the way of processed food and don't use a lot of salt....but I can tell the next day if I ate a lot of sodium.
I was home alone yesterday and between shoveling episodes I was rummaging through the freezer and found some Thanksgiving stuffing and a small container of gravy from my aunts kitchen.
A few minutes in the microwave and viola!....Comfort food on a 20 degree day.
This morning? My fingers look like cocktail wieners and my wedding ring is wedged on pretty good.
For me it wasn't for heart health but rather to lower the blood pressure in one inner ear, it was causing vertigo attacks.
And yes, too much sodium was causing that ear to feel like it was full of water all the time, too.
Meniere's Disease.
I'm fine with some of the canned chilis but again, sodium isn't our total enemy.... yet.
Right, in fact a lot of variables come into play, too, like how much you exercise (Salt loss through sweat)
So now the meat is tender and wonderful but I'm thinking that maybe once we've had our fill...... dice it up and dump it in some of my "customized canned" with all the sauteed veggies I put in it, you know? More volume, less salt per pound? Anyway, it's good for all of us to cut down on our sodium intake...... so thanks for these tips!!
True dat about reducing the sodium hit by adding volume.
I too used to "customize" canned chili with a lot of added veggies, and maybe some leftover meat (plain old beef BTW is very low sodium, less than chicken) but have you looked at the total sodium "per serving" in most of 'em (and note the typical serving is only
4 oz)?
Just a suggestion, it's...."sobering"...no drinking joke intended.
:friendly_wink:
Oh PS: I even used to add
shredded carrots to my chili. After sufficient simmering you can't even tell they're there!
But sweetens it up a little bit too.