Too much sodium raises your odds of developing high blood pressure. And it may not matter if you're "salt-sensitive" or not. These tips will help you get rid of the extra saltiness in your diet.
October 2, 2015
Too much sodium raises your odds of developing high blood pressure. And it may not matter if you're "salt-sensitive" or not. These tips will help you get rid of the extra saltiness in your diet.
Too much sodium prompts your body to hold on to more fluid; this increases blood volume, forcing your heart to pump harder with every beat and putting extra stress on blood vessel walls. People with high blood pressure are at high risk of heart attacks and strokes. A high-sodium diet can also thin your bones, boost your risk of gastric cancer and worsen lung function in people with exercise-induced asthma.
The biggest salt culprits:
They're mostly salt. Instead, invest in several sodium-free spice blends or make your own.
Three we love:
You can save about 500 milligrams of sodium per serving.
A single dill pickle can pack up to 830 milligrams of sodium! Instead, slice a cucumber and serve with plain yogurt sprinkled with fresh or dried dill and some lemon juice or dried grated lemon rind.
Garlic and onion salts pack 1,480 milligrams of sodium per 5 grams (1 teaspoon); soy sauce, 500 to 2,000 milligrams per 15 millilitres (1 tablespoon); and bouillon cubes, 1,200 milligrams per tiny cube. Throw them out — now.
A single slice of deli ham packs 350 milligrams of sodium; one strip of bacon, 192 milligrams. Pretty much any meat product that's processed in a factory or cured or smoked for flavour is off the charts when it comes to sodium. Make sandwiches instead with unsalted slices of turkey breast or lean beef.
Bottled salad dressings can contain up to 620 milligrams of sodium in a single 30-millilitre (2-tablespoon) serving.
Canned veggies and beans may contain one-fifth of your daily sodium allotment, up to 500 milligrams per 125 grams (1/2 cup)! Drain off the liquid, dump the beans or veggies into a colander or strainer and rinse thoroughly, then rinse again. A good "shower" can remove nearly half the sodium, say University of Michigan experts. In one study, a three-minute rinse cut sodium in canned tuna by 80 percent.
--------------------
Discover the smarter way to save time and money
Ready to start saving more on your groceries and pharmacy purchases? Download the FREE YP Grocery app today! It lets you create shareable shopping lists, automatically finds all the best deals and coupons, then delivers them right to you. No more manually scrolling through hundreds of flyers to find what you’re looking for!
Easily retrieve their info anytime you need it on any of your devices