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Salt
As seen on BCTV Noon News August 8th 2005
How to take the Shake out of the Salt Shaker
While sodium is an essential mineral for good health, the average North American consumes approximately 2-6 times the amount of sodium that the body requires. Excess sodium creates a problem when it upsets the sodium and water balance. A high sodium diet causes your body to hold more water, in order to dilute the excess sodium. Some people are more sensitive than others to the effects of high sodium foods. For those with high blood pressure, reducing your sodium intake is important. For a weak heart, extra water can be problematic. However, consuming less sodium can assist with reducing or preventing these problems. Be aware that reducing salty foods in your diet may take time for the taste buds to adjust.
Cooking with Salt
Larger salt crystals like sea salt, fleur de sel and Kosher salt are preferred by chefs since they draw out more moisture and result in better browning for meats and roasted potatoes. Sea salt is about 98% sodium chloride (NaCl) and 2% other minerals including potassium. Most are not iodized.
Smaller crystals from table salt are more suitable for baking as they dissolve better. Table salt is more refines and is about 99.9% NaCl and 0.01% iodide which is added to salt to prevent thyroid problems such as goiter. Table salt also contains additives to keep it free flowing.
Where is Sodium Found?
1. Salt: Both sodium (40%) and chloride (60%) make up salt. Only one teaspoon of salt gives 2300mg of sodium.
2. Food and Water: The majority of North American’s consume sodium through processed goods. It is found in fast foods, softened water and even some types of medications.
3. Hidden Ingredients: When looking at labels it is important to know what ingredients contain sodium besides the word salt. Here is a list of sodium additives: Monosodium glutamate (MSG), sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, sodium benzoate, sodium nitrate, sodium phosphate, sodium aluminum phosphate (baking powder) and baking soda. Only one teaspoon of baking soda and baking powder has 1200 mg and 480 mg of sodium respectively.
10 Tips for Reducing Salt in Your Meals
- Use fresh Herbs which can add a fresh taste to foods.
- Sprinkle with lemon or lime juice to liven up cooked rice, potatoes, asparagus, broccoli, fish and chicken
- Use fruit salsas to flavour fish, meat and poultry
- Add curry powder, turmeric and cumin for spice
- Make your own dressings from using the basics: assorted vinegars, garlic, herbs, mustard, oil and spices.
- Use balsamic vinegar to season vegetables.
- Limit processed foods in your diet.
- When eating out ask for the condiments on the side to control the extra sodium.
- Eat Fresh: Choose fresh vegetables and fruits over canned, consume fresh lean meats and fish over canned or processed.
- Throw away the salt shaker and replace with black pepper or ground herbs.
The Food Exchange
Here are some simple ways to reduce your sodium:
|
Higher Sodium |
Lower Sodium |
| Cereals | |
| – Kellogg’s Raisin Bran (340 mg / 30g) | – Western Family Bran Flakes (260 mg/ 30g) Add your own raisins! |
| – Oatmeal Crunch (116 mg/30 g)– Special K (270 mg/ 30g)
– Cheerios and Corn Flakes (220 mg/ 30 g) |
– Bob’s Red Mill: Muesli, Oats, Creamy Rice hot cereal (add your own spices)(~5 mg) |
| Salad Dressings | |
| – Most Commercial Dressings | – Mix Balsamic Vinegar, Olive oil, Mustard |
| Crackers | |
| – Stone Wheat Thins (Original 290 mg/ 3 crackers or 50% less salt 90 mg/ 3 crackers) | – Wasa and Ryvita Crackers (~72 mg/ 4 slices) |
| Salsa | |
| – Most Commercial Salsas | – Make your own with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, red bell peppers and lime juice. |
| Rice Cakes | |
| – Most salted varieties | – Choose unsalted Corn thins (~23mg / 2 crackers) and Rice Cakes |
| Nuts | |
| Packaged nuts are usually high in salt | Look for bulk unsalted nuts |
| Tomato Sauce | |
| – Western Family Tomato Sauce (and most commercial preprepared tomato sauces) (~579 mg/ 125 ml) | – Western Family Tomato Paste (just tomatoes no added salt( 38 mg/ 100g) – add water and your own spices to make a sauce |
| Canned Vegetables | Frozen Vegetables |
| – Peas (260 mg/ 125ml)– Corn (160 mg/ 125 ml) | – Peas (95 mg/ 125 ml)– Corn (3 mg/ 125 ml) |
| Soup | |
| -Soup containing more than 400 mg sodium -Low Sodium bouillon cubes
-Primo Soups (~640 mg/ 125 ml) – Campbells Soups (~781 mg/ 125 ml) |
– Homemade soup with no added salt-Soup containing no more than 400 mg
-Bouillon cubes |
| Condiments | |
| -Seasonings (rock salt, sea salt, kosher salt, garlic salt, onion salt, celery salt, MSG)-Steak sauce, soy sauce, Teriyaki sauce, fish sauce, BBQ sauce, Worchestershire sauce, dill pickles, olives | -Seasonings (spices and herbs, garlic powder, onion powder)-Relish, Mustard, ketchup, Homemade BBQ sauce, Hot pepper sauce |
| Fruits | |
| – Dried Fruits (ones that contain sodium preservatives) | – Fresh, frozen, or canned fruit or juice |
| Meats, fish and poultry | |
| – Processed cured meats (eg. Hot dogs, bacon, sausages, salami, luncheon meats)– Smoked Salmon | – Lunch meats with less then 250 mg of sodium per serving– Low sodium canned fish |
| Milk, Yogurt and Cheese | |
| – Condensed milk– Aged cheeses (eg. Cheddar, Colby, Monteray Jack)
– Processed cheese -Cheese spreads |
-Fresh milk-Yogurt
-Low salt cottage cheese -Ricotta cheese -Cooked puddings |
| Beverages | |
| -Softened water-Sports Drinks (eg. Gatorade)
-Tomato juice or V8 |
-Tea and Coffee-Lemonade
-Tap water |
| Chocolate | |
| -Candy chocolate bars (eg. Kit Kat Chunky – 55mg, Reese -110mg, Snickers-125 mg) | -Dark Chocolate (eg. Cadbury’s 5mg per 9 squares) -Generally most dark chocolate contains no added salt |
Watch for the Eating for Energy segment every Tuesday on BCTV’s Noon News Hour!