One of the most eminent and important mineral of all time, sodium is a must-have for the body. Found in almost all types of food items, the common table salt, our daily everyday salt being the richest source. However, the human body needs a very little amount of sodium in our body. Too much of sodium intake may lead to a high blood pressure problem along with problems like fuel retention in the body and as much as to swelling of limbs.
Benefits of Low Sodium Diet:
Mineral like sodium is of paramount importance for us. Sodium blends in with the blood and helps us maintain the blood pressure level. It also helps in enzyme operation and muscle contraction. It also helps in glucose absorption, perfect working of cardiac issues and nervous issues as well.
- By maintaining low sodium levels, one can keep fluid retention in check
- Blood pressure increases with an increase in sodium. It is important to control the intake of sodium to prevent heart diseases.
How Much Sodium in a Low Sodium Diet?
Normally, we consume more sodium than we know off. Even without touching the salt shaker we are consuming a large amount of sodium because we use a lot of processed readymade boxed canned or frozen food. One teaspoon of salt contains approx 2.3 grams of sodium. A low sodium diet means a measured consumption of 1.5 or maximum 2.4gm of sodium.
Low Sodium Diet Plan:
- To start of a low-sodium diet we ourselves should be careful about the amount of sodium we are consuming, the best way to do that is to stop salting the home-cooked or processed food.
- We don’t want to add more than what is already there.
- Even though the age-old wisdom insists that salt-less food is tasteless food, one in order to maintain this diet needs to adapt themselves or their cooking method.
- Like a dash of lemon juice or experimenting with new methods that does not involve salt is always a fresh idea to start with.
- Another important self control method is adapting to the new food process. Man is slave of habit and great wonders can be achieved just by adapting oneself in the new method that involves a pure salt free diet.
- While you are adapting yourself to the variations, pick low sodium diet foods like fruits or nutritious diets like the meat, poultry, or fish. Fresh vegetables are also a good option as long as they are not salted while being cooked or consumed.
See More: Low Purine Diet Menu
With this comes the restriction of abandoning any sort of fast food or junk food or restaurant food which is richly cooked in spices salts and herbs. Along with the home environment the outside food also matters since intake of either is not desirable when on this diet.
One should strictly keep themselves away even from alt substitutes specially those which contain high potassium percentage. While buying canned or processed food it is advisable to check the back for the ingredients. But it is not only food that we should be worried about, even water to some extent contains sodium so the next time you buy a bottled water make sure you check the hind part.
Low Sodium Diet Foods list:
A list of low- sodium food items that can be made into a everyday food habit is-
- Any flour product example breads ,chappatis or rotis.
- Everyday cereals such as oatmeal, puffed rice, wheat, fresh green vegetables such as peas and beans
- Fresh Fruits
- Sea food
- Unsalted nuts and seeds
- Lentils
- Egg
- Lean meat
Low Sodium Diet Recipes:
These recipes are not only easy to make, but have low levels of sodium.
1. Spinach Cantaloupe Salad
This Fruit and Vegetable fusion salad is very refreshing and easy to make. The best part is not having to add any extra dressing that contains sodium
You will need:
- Baby spinach – 1 Cup
- Cantaloupe pieces – 1 Cup
- Avocado Cubes – 1 Cup
- Mint leaves – ¼ cup
- Lemon Juice – 2 tbsp
- Extra virgin olive oil – 2 tbsp
- Pepper – Seasoning
- Feta Cheese – Crumbled
Process:
- Take a large bowl and toss all the ingredients together.
- Drizzle some olive oil and lemon juice
- Season it with pepper
- Garnish with Feta Cheese
2. Thai Steamed Fish
This Thai dish is sure to make your mouth water. It is high on taste and flavor, but low on sodium for you to indulge in guilt-free eating.
You will need:
- Basa Fish – ½ kg
- Fish Sauce- 2tbsp
- Light Soy Sauce – 1 tbsp
- Palm sugar – 1 tbsp
- Garlic – ½ tbsp
- Lemon Grass – 1 tbsp
- Kafir Lime Leaves – Chopped ½ Cup
- Galangal – ½ piece
- Sesame Oil
- Lime juice – 1 tbsp
Process:
- Steam the fish in a steamer with Lemon Grass, Galangal and Kafir Lime leaves spread on it
- Take a pan and saute garlic in some oil
- Add soy sauce, fish sauce, palm sugar and lime juice
- Bring it to a boil
- Pour this sauce over the steamed fish
- Serve hot
Risks of Low Sodium Diet
Taking low sodium diet is certainly recommended. However, very low sodium levels can lead to health complications like:
- Resistance to Insulin
- Heart strokes
- LDL Cholesterol
- Weakness
- Lethargy
- Hyponatremia
It is always advised to consult a physician before starting a low sodium diet. Without proper analysis of the current sodium levels, restricting sodium intake can cause heart failures, diabetes and sudden deaths. However, its good to keep the salt shaker away from your dining place too avoid over intake.
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