When
we talk about dietary sodium, less is certainly the best. Diets
which are high in sodium have numerous ill-effects and can impact your health
in a negative way. The primary function of salt is to help regulate
the level of fluids in your body. This means that there is more water
retention, the more salt you intake. One of the most significant changes which
occur as a result is a rise in our blood pressure and hence increased risk of
heart attacks and strokes. This also leads to kidney damage and even kidney
failure over time. While there is a tendency among people to intake more than
the required quantity, controlling salt consumption is as important as eating
to stay healthy. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you regulate salt
intake for a healthier life-
1. Since
the whole point is to limit the intake and not cut it off completely from your
diet, opting for fresh meat is always better than going for packaged meats.
Although the freshly cut pork, chicken or beef is still going to contain a certain
amount of sodium, the content is going to be much lesser. Also, avoid
refrigerating it for days as this makes the sodium content go high.
2. Fresh
fruits and vegetables are also healthier options, not just in terms of sodium
but also calories. These tend to have low salt
content. Even with bread, prefer freshly baked fruit bread and also ask your baker to make it without putting any salt
if possible.
3. If
buying frozen vegetables is a necessity, look out for labels such as “fresh
frozen” and the ones which do not contain any added sauces or seasoning.
4. In
case you are skeptical or don’t know much about a product, you can always look
out for sodium content on the label. Since even sweet products can sometimes
have high sodium content, it is necessary to check for sodium content on every
label.
5. Make
it a habit to compare different brands until you find the one which is perfect
with no or very low sodium content. Hence, instead of going for any regular
bread go for sodium free whole wheat bread by spending
some time and exploring different options.
6. If
you are planning to go out for dining, the best way to check out the
ingredients and the quantity is to have a look at their website. Alternatively,
you can also request at the restaurant to make your dishes with less sodium and
serve the salad without the salt.
While
you might find it a bit difficult to switch to the low sodium content diet
initially, you will get used to it gradually. Usually, it takes about 6-8 weeks
to adjust your taste buds to the lower quantities of salt but once you get used
to it, it is going to be very beneficial for you in the long run.
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