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Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,325
Registered: ‎03-08-2014

New to a Low Sodium Diet – Need Help

I am suddenly find myself in need of a change in diet. Sudden high blood pressure readings require me to be more diligent about my awareness of ingredients. I have never been one to add much salt (some, but just a little) to my cooking and I hate pepper. Having never mastered seasonings, I cook very simply. Cooking for me tends to be stand alone items rather than things with a recipe…I make a steak, or pork chops, or chicken, or scallops, and I make asparagus, or peas, or corn, or beans, or potatoes/sweet potatoes, etc. I don’t make pot roast, stews, casseroles, and rarely make multi-ingredient type meals. That is good, because it is easy and I have control of the salt. I usually make my own chicken stock and do it only with chicken and bones, no salt, no carrots, no celery, no onions or garlic…just chicken & bones in the slow-cooker. We prefer the pure chicken flavor. To make soup from the stock later I will add wild rice, or barley, or peas & carrots, etc – not particularity high sodium things.

I am shocked now that I need to study the labels. There is so much sodium added to everything! And, things I would think have no sodium actually do (like eggs). So much sodium and sugar creeps into food what you are not aware of unless you stop and read every label thoroughly. I spent forever in the store yesterday just trying to buy a package of sliced cheese (we like to eat a sliced apple with cheese as a bedtime snack). Apparently some Swiss and mozzarella cheese are in our future. As for eating out…WOW! I went to Houlihan’s with a friend the other day and they have a snack order of pretzels that had over 6,000 mg of salt – without any dipping sauce, which was over 1,000 mg additional. That is 4 days worth of sodium on a snack! Needless to say it was not ordered, but it was hard to order anything with a reasonable amount of sodium.

Does anyone have any tips, ticks, good simple recipes/ideas for this new adjustment in our lives? Thanks in advance for any help you may offer, it is appreciated.

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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,652
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: New to a Low Sodium Diet – Need Help

Havarti, I watch my sodium intake because salt makes me retain fluids. Like you, I read labels. Any processed food is bad usually. The advice to stick to the outer aisles of the grocery store is good advice. That way you eat more whole food and less processed. Eating at home gives you much more control over your intake. If you eat out, some restaurants indicate heart healthy meals on their menus. Good luck to you! LM

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,640
Registered: ‎05-30-2010

Re: New to a Low Sodium Diet – Need Help

Avoid processed foods. Eat fresh food, avoid packaged food.

This information on low sodium diets has been out now for years & years. Google & do your homework.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,955
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: New to a Low Sodium Diet – Need Help

Havarti, please be encouraged by the fact that the less salt you ingest, the less you want. I omitted salt because I could not tolerate BP medications, and within a month or two myBP was within normal limits. Egg whites are really good for BP. I eat 6 egg whites most days.mthe sodium in egg whites does not elevate my blood pressure. Exercise helps too. The best thing I consume is Hibiscus Tea. The Celestial Seasonings "Zinger" teas contain a lot of Hibiscus. It can help a lot! Google it.
Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,784
Registered: ‎03-14-2010

Re: New to a Low Sodium Diet – Need Help

You can rinse canned veggies. The salt free canned veggies are horrible. Rinsing is the next best thing. Frozen veggies are best for being low sodium.

Sunny Paris is a delicious salt free mixed blend you can get at Penzeys. You'd swear there was salt in it. They have several salt free versions that are really good, but SP is my favorite.

That's not much, but every little tip helps.

Super Contributor
Posts: 940
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: New to a Low Sodium Diet – Need Help

I never salt anything when I'm eating out because I know it's sneaked in somewhere.

Frozen veggies are pretty safe. If you haven't tried Penzeys, go to their website or ask for a catalog. They have a wide variety of no salt spices. My brother has to really watch salt, so I got him a wide array of no salt spices and he called it his Christmas present!

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,213
Registered: ‎03-30-2014

Re: New to a Low Sodium Diet – Need Help

You and your family are being put on a wonderful path. I came into being salt free indirectly by being put on a fat free diet for GI issues. Once you have to cut out all the processed foods you will also gain by being basically sugar free.

Takes a little time to figure out what to shop for, but your taste buds will thank you. Basically you will enjoy simple, fresh foods and lose your taste for what my BFF calls "edible food-like substances".

A good start is to get rid of all salt in your house. All of it, check the labels in the fridge too!

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,325
Registered: ‎03-08-2014

Re: New to a Low Sodium Diet – Need Help

Thanks for the helpful information!

The very first thing I did was search the internet, and I found so much information it was overwhelming. I appreciate this forum because it allows people to converse and share information that they have gained through personal experience, and that helps narrow down the massive amount of information available on the web. Plus, this forum allows for the opportunity to ask question, where a Google search things does not.

Thanks for the great tip about Penzey’s – I have never heard of them before. I went straight to their site and decided to try the Sunny Paris you recommended as well as the Tuscan Sunset to try for making a tasty salad dressing with seasonings. This was a perfect example of why I like to turn to this forum for information sharing, as I had only found Mrs. Dashes products in my store and did not like what we tried. You have given us new options!

On my next trip to the store I will pick up Hibiscus tea – thanks for that tip, too.

I do currently stay away from processed foods for the most part, primarily shopping the outer edges of the store. This is not because I am smart or healthy, but because of my crazy way of cooking stand alone items. When fresh vegetables of choice are not available, frozen is always my choice; we rarely use canned vegetables. I have always thought the color of most canned vegetables was unappealing to me and they seem to be faded and more limp looking. Fresh & frozen are generally firmer and have more appealing bright color.

Thanks for letting me know the need for salt will decrease over time, that is encouraging and helpful to know.

You are all very wise and kind to help me in an area that is new to me. Your experience is very valuable and appreciated. This is an interesting new challenge because I was never aware that there is so much sodium and sugar in practically EVERYTHING. It is shocking to me, it seems toxic for everyone, even those with no need to monitor it….it is like it creates the problem that later causes you to need to monitor it. Why isn’t general food healthier? What an idiot I am that I am just learning this after all these years of blindly cooking meals.

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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,539
Registered: ‎11-23-2013

Re: New to a Low Sodium Diet – Need Help

We went through a similar effort when my husband was put on blood pressure medication. He wanted off and his blood pressure was right at the threshold, so we could manage it.

Like you discovered, everything has salt. Not just processed foods, but anything that comes out of the ground and whatever eats those plants.

The few items I had that were canned (stock, salad dressing, beans and tomatoes) were made from scratch.

Get your flu shot...because I didn't.
Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,415
Registered: ‎11-25-2011

Re: New to a Low Sodium Diet – Need Help

Remember...salt is just a small portion. Lowering the fat in your food helps immensely! If the vein/artery system is clogged w/ plaque & sluggish w/ fat, the blood will be forced...causing high blood pressure.

A low fat, whole foods, plant based diet is ideal. It will reduce blood pressure extremely fast...your body is telling you it's sick...and will reward you in a short amount of time when a low fat, whole foods, plant based diet is adopted.