Low Sodium Diet - A Natural Salt Substitute That is Not High in Sodium

The dietary habits of our nation as a whole have gone lower and lower every year since the 1950's and its no coincidence that we are now among the most obese nation in the world but one of the silent killers out there today and that is high blood pressure. Excessive sodium intake is the culprit that many experts say has something to do with our blood pressure levels and many dieticians recommend a low sodium diet, but how can this be realistically achieved? These days almost every food we eat is filled with sodium so how can we have a low sodium diet and still get the same taste in our food that we had before?

No doubt you have seen many companies tout their salt substitute products saying that they have the same taste as regular salt with none of the unhealthy side effects but upon closer examination you will see that many of these companies have use things like potassium chloride which can effect people taking certain meds for lowering blood pressure . Its always wise to try to find a natural salt substitute. Smart salts are gaining in popularity since one of their main ingredients is basic table salt that is mixed with magnesium and potassium. As you can see these are natural minerals that are all needed in our diet . Their job is to lower the percentage of sodium in table salt without killing the taste. This is one way you can create an all natural salt substitute.

Whether you are a spring chicken in your mid twenties or a middle aged person in your forties like me it is never too late to get into a low sodium diet. We are a nation that has become salt dependent but does this mean that we have to become sodium dependent? Thankfully the answer is no and thanks to natural advances in salt substitutes you can still enjoy your charbroiled chicken salad with a pinch of some natural salt substitutes to satisfy your starving taste buds.

If you're looking for a natural Salt substitute that has all of the taste of regular table salt with half the sodium, visit us at http://www.smartsalt.com to place an order for our smart salt products.

Low Sodium Diet - Understanding it and How to Cut Your Intake

Sodium is one of the most prevalent substances present in numerous food items people regularly take in everyday. It is also one of the biggest contributors to high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels among other complications.

This is why a low sodium diet should be observed if you want to have a healthier and lighter body. However, to cut back sodium efficiently in your eating habits, you must first understand it.

Where can you find sodium?

As mentioned earlier, sodium is almost everywhere, so to nail down where you can find high amounts of sodium, here is a list.

1. Salt--Since saltis a compound made up of sodium and chloride, salt is the number one source of sodium. 2. Canned, frozen, and other processed foods--This is because most canned foods use salt as a preservative, among other artificial ingredients. 3. Frozen dinners 4. Sauces, dressings, and marinades 5. Crackers and Cookies

How to cut down your sodium intake?

For one, you can lessen your intake of the mentioned sodium rich foods. However, you cannot just drop your intake to zero because it is still a much-needed nutrient in the body.

Another option is by switching to more natural foods. As processed, preserved, instant, and canned foods are very rich in sodium, consuming them less is a good way to cut back. However, if you cannot avoid foods like these, look for low-sodium alternatives.

Lastly, you can also use a substitute ingredient to sodium. There are numerous salt alternatives available in the market; make sure they are healthy by checking the nutritional facts. You can also go for natural salt substitutes like smart salts.

By closely watching your diet and maximizing it to low amounts of sodium, you will not only be healthier, but may also enjoy the benefits of weight loss.

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Supercharge Your Diet Plan With Healthy Sandwiches

Its a fact that Americans love sandwiches. We eat them to the tune of 200 per person per year . Since sandwiches make up a large part of our diets it only makes sense to eat healthier versions of them. 

First start with the bread . Get rid of that white processed bread and replace it with whole grain or 100 percent wheat breads . Whole grains have fiber in them which is good for your heart and keeping your insides moving regularly plus fiber joins with extra fat and cholesterol and moves them out of your body without them being digested into your cells. It also fills you up so that you don't feel hungry as soon as you would with white bread which has no fiber. Whole grains are also full of vitamins and minerals that are natural unlike the fake ones that have to be added back in. Try different types of breads also like omega 3 or flaxseed bread or even raisin breads. You don't even have to use breads . You can go for bagels and fajitas  wraps. 

Next the sau ces . Use low calorie condiments such as mustard or low calorie dressing to your sandwich . Mayonnaise has 100 calories and 10 calories in one heavy tablespoon. If you have to use mayonnaise then get the light variety. Healthier ones include vinegar and light cream cheeses, and also pickle relish, salsa and horseradish. You can try mixing light cream cheese with dried herbs or fresh ground ones for your own unique taste. The British use chutney on their sandwiches and is available in grocery stores. 

When going for the meat choose the low fat low sodium deli meats that are available. Canned chicken,turkey and ham are also good choices. For fish lovers the different types of tuna are available in many flavors now and then there are the other fishes in cans like salmon and mackerel. Even peanut butter is good for you in smaller amounts . The key is to watch the portions and eat smaller amounts and get the water based tuna not the one in oil.

 Add lots of vegeta bles as toppings for that extra health boost like tomatoes, mushrooms, and bean sprouts for a different taste. Try grilled veggies for something unique. Black and green olives can be used sparingly but watch for fat content and sodium as these can be high in both. Avoid the cheeses if possible but if you have to have cheese on your sandwich then for the light versions or low fat . 

Sandwiches are a staple of our diet and you will want to include them in your diet plan and with these tips you can eat them and be a lot lighter and leaner.

Hidden Sources of Fat, Sodium and Sugar

You've probably heard the saying that that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.

This is what happens when we delude ourselves into thinking that natural foods have less calories and fats then others, or mistaking too much of one particularly healthy food (cheese is a good example) for a healthy choice.

Here is a breakdown of the ten most common food choices that contain hidden sources of fat and sugar (and therefore weight expanding calories!)

Here are the Top Ten Foods that will minimize your nutrition but maximize your waistline!

1. Cheese Pizza - A pizza that has no toppings seems like it should be healthier and it is to some extent. However just two slices of plain cheese pizza will provide you with 760 calories and almost a full day's limit of saturated fat and sodium. That's without sausage, pepperoni and anything else! Your best choice is a vegetarian pizza, such as foccacia brushed with olive oil and flavored with sun dried tomatoes and herbs.

2. Canned chicken noodle soup - Brimming with salt, a half a can averages about 1100 mg of sodium. That's almost half your daily quota. Go for the low-sodium brands instead.

3. Low Fat Potato Chips - The worst are the low fat chips fried in Olean (olestra). This indigestible fat substitute's generic name is called sucrose polyester Olean doesn't provide any calories, but in many people it causes gastrointestinal distress including severe cramps or diarrhea that they had to see their doctor. Olean also reduces the body's absorption of other foods. Try baked, low-fat potato or tortilla chips, or raw veggies like carrots and celery instead.

4. Yogurt covered raisins - This is a common offering in health food stores and it sounds healthy because raisins are a source of iron and yogurt is a common health food. Actually yogurt covered raisins are full of fat and sugar. They are usually coated with saturated sugar palm oil, or hydrogenated coconut oil. You'd be better off to snack on a handful of plain raisins.

5. Corn chips - Most people think corn chips are healthy because they are not made from potatoes. However the coconut oil that these are fried in is twice as saturated as lard. A cup of corn chips will give you almost half of your daily limit for saturated fat. If you must have corn chips look for brands that are baked or low fat.

6. Fast food bagel sandwiches - These can seem healthy because they include healthy vegetables such as tomatoes and lettuce and low fat meats such a turkey or chicken. However the bagels themselves are full of carbs. Just one of these sandwiches can yield up to 700 calories, 40 grams of fat, 300 mg of cholesterol and 1600 mg of sodium. Try a turkey sandwich on rye bread with 1 slice of cheese, lettuce and tomato instead.

7. Extra large chocolate chip cookies - You might lose weight eating just one single cookie but it depends how big it is. A single large cookie, like the ones sold in Starbucks, has more than 300 calories and as much saturated fat as a 12-ounce sirloin steak plus 7 teaspoons of sugar. If you can't resist, try going for the oatmeal cookies.

8. The Breakfast Special - Restaurant skillet-style breakfasts that include eggs, home fries, bacon, sausage and cheese - is not exactly the healthiest choice out there, considering the meal alone will give you 1220 calories, 70 grams of fat (19 of them saturated) and 1820 mgs of sodium. For a healthier alternative, try a couple of scrambled eggs or egg whites with 2 or 3 pancakes or toast and small side of fruit and cottage cheese.

9. "Supersize Me" French Fries - Stop saying yes when you are asked if you want your order to be supersized. Large French fries contain 600 calories, 30 grams of fat (16gms of which are the artery-clogging saturated plus trans fats!) A super-sized waistline is what you'll get for super-sizing your fries at the fast food joint. A b aked potato is a better choice.

10. Mocha Latte with whole milk - This is actually more like a heated milkshake packed with 600 calories and 15 grams of saturated fat. Forsake the whipped cream for skim milk instead and you'll save up to 200 calories

Surviving the Sodium Scare for the People of God

When you receive the Seal you start to change the way you eat. You eat less and you eat more healthy foods as God intended. One enemy found in great amounts in most processed food is sodium.

Processed food usually has a lot of salt in it, and so it has high levels of sodium. This is considered to be the single most harmful aspect of the common American diet--worse even than trans fats!

Recently the FDA has considered putting warning labels on foods when they contain high levels of sodium. And they might even regulate the sodium level in foods, setting limits to how much they can contain.

That would lower the sky-high amounts of sodium found in meals like TV dinners. When you are sealed you should not eat anything like TV dinners and you should avoid most processed food.

The FDA has not had to regulate sodium levels in foods yet. One reason is because food manufacturers are lowering sodium amounts on their own. Apparentl y low-sodium labels are a turn-off to people so they are reducing sodium quietly.

But this all shows the problem in eating processed food--what God gave us to heal us is turned into something harmful in processed food. God gave us natural salt to nurse us back to health, just as Jesus recommended.

Jesus said, "Salt is good." It is that simple. Yet the high levels of sodium in all that processed food are causing high blood pressure and heart disease in record levels. How can we get the benefits of salt instead of the harm?

The answer is to eat natural salt like sea salt. When you eat natural salt instead of hurting yourself you can cure yourself of a variety of ailments, just as God intended. God wants you to be healthy, while man-made nutrition has a different goal than your health.

Processed food is not produced to be healthy. It is produced to have a long shelf-life which makes it less expensive to produce. That means mor e profits for food companies, not a healthier you.

But there is good news. You can eat natural salt and receive up to 84 minerals your body needs. You need salt because 90 percent of your body is "salt water." And you can be cured of a variety of ailments.

You can be cured of respiratory problems, skin problems, lack of energy, and pain and stress. And much more. If you eat enough of the processed salt found in the mainstream grocery store it will kill you. If you eat sea salt it will save your life.

So you can eat salt, even eat it in abundance. "Salt is good." You even need salt. You need the trace minerals you do not get in your food. You do not need heart surgery or blood-pressure medication.

Jesus came to give life, not to take it away. And when God sets the Seal upon you, He entrusts you with new life. You will want to care for your body through your diet, especially when you start to age a little.

And yo u can avoid processed foods, even if you have limited resources like time and money. Once you get enough protein you can simply add more fruits and vegetables and whole grains. This really does not cost any more than processed food.

But if you really want to glorify God more with a longer life, you need to start eating less too. You can afford better-quality food when you eat less of it. And you will look better and feel better for it.

What Are Low Cholesterol Foods?

According to the University of Utah Health Services Center, low cholestrol foods are available that can be incorporated into any recipe or diet plan. These foods contain good cholestrol amounts, but are low in saturated fats.

Thanks to extensive research, scientists have found a way to create a diet to lower cholestrol by reducing margarine consumption, not butter and eggs as originally thought. A meal or recipe that does not incorporate processed/refined foods, as well as trans/hydrogenated oils and fats are far more beneficial.

The important criteria when cooking recipes is to find ones that lower bad LDL cholestrol, but increase good HDL cholestrol. LDL that attaches to artery walls acts like plaque does on teeth. It can partially or completely block not only arteries, but veins and capillaries, limiting or halting blood flow to body cells, organs and most importantly the heart and brain. Such build up can result in heart attacks and strokes.
With labels on food packages giving more information than ever before about the nutrients, carbohydrates and cholestrol they contain, it is getting easier to eat the foods we like without the high risk of heart disease or stroke. The following is a list, based on the four food groups, of healthy, low cholestrol foods:

Meat, fish, poultry and meat alternatives:

(2 to 3 servings daily of a maximum of 6 oz. per serving)

Beef - sirloin, loin, chuck

Eggs - organic or free-range, cholesterol-free substitute

Fish and shellfish - white, pink, red, grey (fresh or water packed only)

Lamb - leg, rib, loin, arm

Legumes - peas, beans, lentils, etc.

Pork - leg, shoulder, tenderloin

Poultry - chicken, turkey, and game birds (white or light meat only, and no skin)

Veal - all types, fat cut off

Dairy products:

(2-3 servings pe r day - 6 oz. milk or yogurt, or 1 matchbox size of cheese)

Milk - low-fat, 1%, 2%, no-fat, skim, low-fat evaporated, low-fat powdered or low-fat buttermilk

Yogurt - low-fat

Cheeses (soft) - low-fat cottage or farmer; part-skim ricotta, mozzarella

Cream cheese - light or low-fat

Sour cream - light or low-fat

Ice cream - low-fat

Breads, cereals, rice, pasta:

(6-11 servings daily of whole wheat, vegetable, Omega 3, fiber2c, or low-cholestrol varieties)

Bread - pita, pumpernickel, rye, whole wheat

Rice cakes

English muffins - whole wheat

Crackers - low-fat, matzo, rye crisp breads, saltines, zwieback

Cereals - low-fat, low cholestrol, low sugar, low sodium

Pasta - any type

Rice - basmati, Thai, very long grain, wild

Fruits and vegetables:

(3 to 10 servings dail y of green, orange, yellow, red and dark green vegetables and varied fruit and juices)

Any vegetable - low-sodium canned, fresh, frozen, dried

Any fruit - low-sodium, canned, fresh, frozen, dried

Other foods:

Oils - (6-8 oz maximum daily) unsaturated corn, extra virgin olive, peanut, canola oil, safflower, sesame, soybean

The following foods should be avoided or kept to a minimum as they contain a fair amount of saturated fats and too high a concentration of LDL cholestrol:

All candies, cakes, soft drinks and sweet snacks

Animal fats - all types, lard

beef - corned, regular ground, short ribs, brisket

caviar - all types

cereals - high sugar, high saturated fat, granola

cheese - Neufchatel, Swiss, Brie, Mozzarella, Cheddar, American, Feta, processed, full chocolate

cream, full cream ricotta, Muenster

cream - m ost regular, and non-dairy

duck

ice cream - full cream

goose

luncheon meats - regular

most snack crackers - cheese, butter

organ meats - liver, sweetbreads, kidney, brain

pasta dinners - cheese sauces, cream sauces, butter sauces; egg noodles

popcorn - buttered

pork - blade roll, spare ribs, bacon

potato chips

rice dinners - cheese sauces, cream sauces, butter sauces

sausages - most varieties, including wieners and frankfurters

sour cream - full fat

vegetable dishes - buttered, with cream, with gravy, or with fatty sauces

yogurt - full fat

Easy Diet Cooking Tips

Raw food is the very best diet for anyone. Hearty main-dish salads help you feel full and satisfied. Lighter salads serve as a side dish or appetizer. Dig into one tonight, and you're well on your way to starting your own salad habit.

A diet can never be complete without fruits. The most appealing factor of fruits is that they are taken raw and are one hundred percent natural. If fruit is canned in 100 percent fruit juice, drain the juice to avoid added calories.

Cooking greens are a Southern tradition – and superstitiously thought to bring good luck for the upcoming year when eaten on New Year's Day. They include any type of cabbage where the green leaves do not form a compact head.

Beef contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)—particularly if it's grass-fed—and preliminary research shows that CLA may play a potential role in weight loss and bone health, as well as lower heart disease and cancer risk. Steak recipes and other beef recipes can b e tonight's ticket to eating well! Freezing your food will help with portion control too—you can't have an extra helping if it's frozen solid! Sweet potatoes are highly alkalizing foods and are good for the winter months.

Though you can buy baked chips, they still are high in fat and sodium, and tend to be brittle. Making them at home is easy, lets you control the fat and salt, and produces sturdier chips. Mix together 1 tablespoon (15 ml) low-sodium soy sauce, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) five-spice powder, 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) ground coriander, and 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) garlic powder. Toss to coat evenly.

Consider lighter fare like a sorbet or a yogurt dish topped with fresh berries and strawberry syrup or fruit with a heavy cream on the side. Try a cappuccino for sweetness or richness, but make it with skim milk.

Increase portions when you serve vegetables and fruits. Use low-fat seasoning with herbs, spices, and lemo n juice — think smart, eat well and move more

To lose weight effectively, you need to set realistic goals and create a personal action plan. Your planning should focus on you and your commitment to yourself.

Take note of which foods that you and your family already enjoy. Then try to find more recipes that incorporate those tastes and textures.

Use the Internet as a tool to search for low sodium foods and make your grocery list. Write down the food product, the name of the manufacturer, and the sodium content of each item.

Sodium causes your body to retain, or hold, more water. This increases the work of your heart as it pumps blood through your body.

With a little persistence on your part you'll come through with flying colors and a slimmer body.