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Reduce sodium to decrease heart disease, stroke risk

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HEALTHY GEEZER

This is the second part of a two-part series on sodium. The first column discussed sodium in diet. This column is devoted to tips about how to reduce sodium intake.

High-sodium diets are linked to increased blood pressure and a greater risk for heart disease and stroke. Reducing the amount of sodium you consume can help lower blood pressure or prevent problems from developing.

Diet experts recommend a daily consumption of less than 2,400 milligrams (mg), which is the amount of sodium in a teaspoon of table salt. If you have high blood pressure, your doctor may advise limiting yourself to 1,500 mg of sodium a day.

Table salt - sodium chloride - is not the only problem. The main sources of sodium in the average U.S. diet are 5 percent added while cooking, 6 percent added while eating, 12 percent from natural sources and 77 percent from processed foods.

About nine out of 10 Americans consume too much sodium, Americans on average consume 3,436 mg sodium daily. How can you cut down?

When you buy prepared and packaged foods, read the nutritional fact panel for the amount of sodium.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says a food that claims to be healthy must not exceed 480 mg sodium. Meal-type products must not exceed 600 mg sodium.

The following tips can help with sodium reduction:

Decrease your use of salt gradually; as you use less salt, your preference for it diminishes

Keep the saltshaker off the table

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

Use fresh poultry, fish and lean meat, rather than canned or processed types

Use herbs, spices and salt-free seasoning blends

Cook rice, pasta and hot cereals without salt

Cut back on flavored rice, frozen dinners, pizza, packaged mixes, canned soups and packaged salad dressings

Rinse canned foods, such as tuna, to remove some sodium

Select unsalted nuts or seeds, dried beans, peas and lentils

Limit salty snacks like chips and pretzels

Add fresh lemon juice instead of salt to fish and vegetables

When eating out, ask your server about reducing sodium in your meal

Remove salt from recipes whenever possible

Cut down on sodium-rich condiments such as soy sauce, ketchup, mustard and relish.

LEARN THE TERMS

Sodium-free - less than 5 mg per serving

Very low sodium - 35 mg or less per serving

Low sodium - 140 mg or less per serving

Reduced sodium - 25 percent less sodium than usual

Lite or light in sodium - 50 percent less sodium than the regular version

Unsalted, no salt added or without added salt - contains only the sodium that's a natural part of the food

Fred Cicetti is a first-class geezer over 60 who writes a health column for senior citizens. Email questions tofred@healthygeezer.com or visit healthygeezer.com.





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