Healthy Habits: Reducing Sodium

High blood pressure was a contributing cause of more than 410,000 deaths in 2014, according to the CDC.  1 in 3 American adults have high blood pressure (hypertension).  Several risk factors for hypertension include age, sex, tobacco use, overweight/obesity, physical activity, family history, low potassium and high sodium intake.  Several of these risk factors can be controlled through choosing healthy behaviors. 

Reducing high blood pressure through healthy eating can be done by reducing salt in your diet.  The Dietary Guideline for Americans recommends reducing sodium to less than 2,300 mg per day for adults or less than 1500 mg for adults already diagnosed with prehypertension and hypertension.   Commercially processed or prepared foods account for 3,400 mg of sodium the average American consumes daily. 

Too much sodium in your diet can decrease the kidneys ability to regulate fluid which increases blood pressure.  Blood pressure rises and falls normally throughout the day, but when blood pressure remains high for too long it can damage your heart and put you at risk for heart disease and stroke. 

Choose products with label claims of no-added salt, reduced sodium or low salt 

Buy fresh, frozen or canned vegetables with no salt added.  

Drain and rinse canned vegetables or beans containing salt   

Purchase fresh meats, poultry and seafood rather than processed meats

Experiment with herbs and spice combinations to flavor dishes 

Cooking from scratch allows you to control the sodium content of your meals.  When it is estimated that 77% of the salt in our diet comes from processed foods, it is time to rethink the price being paid for convenience. Because many Americans don’t get enough fresh fruits and vegetables, not enough potassium is retained and too much sodium accumulates in the blood. Potassium helps balance the amount of sodium in your cells. 

High-potassium containing foods:

Baked potato (skin on), boiled potatoes, avocados, spinach, bananas, milk, fish, white or lima beans, artichokes, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, yogurt, nuts, oranges or cantaloupe.

Processed foods are often purchased for convenience because cooking and creating flavor profiles for dishes isn’t second nature for many. 

Below are a few flavor splashes to complement your vegetables.   Add ingredients together in small saucepan, heat briefly, pour onto vegetables and toss to coat.  

Asian Ginger Lime – 2 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp fresh grated ginger (or 2 pinches dried), few squeezes fresh lime juice and ½ tsp soy sauce. Heat 3 minutes. 

Cajun Oil – warm 2 tsp olive oil & 3 finely chopped green onions until tender, then add 1 tsp Cajun spice blend, few squeezes fresh lemon juice and couple drops of hot sauce.

Garlic Citrus Butter - Heat 2 Tbsp butter, add 2 small cloves minced garlic, a bit of fresh thyme or mixed herbs, and 1 tsp lemon or orange juice & sauté until garlic softens. 

Reducing sodium doesn’t have to mean reducing flavor.  Be bold and be creative. 

 

This Week’s Healthy Habit:  Get your blood pressure checked and be aware of the sodium content in the products you currently purchase. 

 

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