Health Food Vitamin

If you are trying to find ways to reduce the amount of food in your diet, you are not alone. The recommended intake for an adult is 2400 milligrams of sodium each day , roughly the amount found in a single teaspoon of salt. Studies show that the average American eats 4000 to 6000 milligrams each day, much of it hidden in processed foods.

Reducing the salt in your diet has many benefits, such as decreasing the chance of heart disease, kidney problems or strokes.

Although we all know that we need to moderate our salt intake, cutting back is easier said than done. But you can re-educate your taste buds to enjoy foods with a lower salt content. Here´s how:

1) Try and monitor your own salt intake from the foods you normally eat. You may get a shock, but at least it will flag up areas where you can reduce your intake. Aim for around 3000 mg per day initially, and then try and reduce further as you get accustomed to less salt in your diet.
2) Take the salt pot off the table. If you have added flavour to foods with sufficient herbs and spices, you really should not need to cover the food in salt when you sit down to eat. A lot of the time we simply add more salt out of habit.
3) Check labels carefully for ALL types of sodium to work out the actual levels in a product. Sodium nitrate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium benzoate… it can be found in many forms.
4) Try and buy fresh vegetables, or look for those canned with no added salt.
5) Check the nutritional labels on the packs. Similar products can have a great variation in salt content, so look out for the brands with the lowest figures.
6) Buy unsalted nuts and pretzels instead of the usual salted brands.
7) Try to make home made meals, then you can control the amount of salt in your cooking. Processed foods and ready meals tend to be higher in both salt and fat. Don’t have time to cook at home? Why not try the crock pot or slow cooker. With only a few minutes preparation of the crockpot recipe in the morning; you will have the most amazing meal by evening. And only the one dish to wash. These pork crock pot recipes and crock pot chicken recipes are fantastic and easy to prepare. Limit the use of high salt condiments such as soy sauce in your cooking.
9) Look for low salt versions of family favourites, such as ketchups and sauces. Every little helps!
10) Use herbs and other spices to add flavour instead. Low salt food does not have to be bland.
11) Try a low sodium commercial brand of seasoning such as “LoSalt” or a salt substitute instead. These are high in potassium, so if you have kidney or medical problems, check first with your doctor and make sure it is OK to use them.
12) Rinse any canned foods that come in brine or salt water before use.

Make small, gradual changes and you won´t even notice the difference in taste. Every small substitution will help to ensure that you are giving your family a balanced and healthy diet which is low in excess salt.