Journey To Nutrition...One Day at a Time

Lets begin with breakfast. You may think starting your day with whole wheat waffles is a super healthy choice, and you wouldn’t be 100% wrong, but did you know 2 Eggo whole wheat waffles sneak in 420 mg of sodium? That’s almost 20% of your daily allowance! Swap those waffles for some plain oatmeal with a dash of cinnamon and you’ve got a healthy, nutritious breakfast without sodium!

Fresh fruits and vegetables are best, but when fresh isn’t available, frozen is another good option. Unfortunately, canned fruits and vegetables can be swimming with sodium. Be sure to check the labels       carefully. Look for cans that say “no salt added”, “low-sodium” or “low-salt.” For example, a ½ cup serving of fresh green beans contain a negligible 3 mg of sodium while a ½ cup serving of canned green beans will sneak in 390 mg of sodium!  Always rinse your canned beans under water. Frozen fruits and veggies (without added sauce) are usually a safe bet, however watch out for products like frozen french fries! One serving of the crinkly little fries (before adding extra salt) will cost you 340 mg of sodium (and who eats just one serving?) You are much better off making your own fries! Slice a small baked potato into thin strips and sprinkle with a bright spice such as paprika.

We all know lean protein is important, but unfortunately some sources can be packed with sodium! When   looking for a healthy and affordable lean protein, beans are an excellent choice but only after a little preparation. Simply rinsing a ½ cup of chickpeas under water will save you 389 mg of sodium! Have you ever thought about the sodium hiding in the lean turkey breast you get from the deli counter? A small 4 ounce serving contains nearly 1200 mg of sodium!  Ask for low sodium or store roasted turkey which has only 70 mg of  sodium for the same serving size. 

Condiments can be dangerous. Sodium is hidden in ketchup (1 tbsp – 190 mg), soy sauce (1 tsp – 335 mg), worcestershire sauce (1 tbsp – 167 mg) , hot sauce (1 tsp – 200 mg), and bbq sauce (1 tsp – 210 mg). Try experimenting seasoning your foods with fresh or dried herbs and you may be pleasantly surprised.  Parsley, cilantro, basil, sage, the sodium-free possibilities are endless! Or how about making a homemade salsa to top any grilled meat or fish with? (dice up fresh tomatoes, onions, and sweet mango)

Snack attacks can be a frightening occurrence if you are not prepared. All of a sudden, out of nowhere hunger strikes and you grab whatever the closest crunchy snack is. The key is to plan ahead! Avoid greasy bags of sodium packed potato chips and premix your own snack mixes of granola and raisins or unsalted nuts and dried fruit.  Just one ounce of lays potato chips delivers almost 200 mg of sodium!  Other snacks that   contain a lot of sodium include pickles, crackers, and pretzels.

Beverages can also be a surprising source of sodium.  Many people think they need the sodium in sports drinks such as Gatorade. I like to recommend vitaminwater because it is sodium-free. vitaminwater the  perfect choice when in need of hydration anytime while Gatorade is useful only for people who are exercising for hours and sweating a lot.  The truth of the matter is that most of us get more than enough sodium in our diets. The 275 mg of sodium found in a bottle of Gatorade are just not necessary for the average person.

Guess what? Sweet treats aren’t safe from sodium. A low-fat 2.5 ounce blueberry muffin sneaks in 350 mg of sodium!  Try an Appleberry VitaTop from Vitalicious (www.vitalicious.com) they are loaded with fresh apples & berries. These natural and fiber packed treats are made with real apples, cranberries,  and  blueberries.

Remember to check your labels! The closer a food is to the way it was grown (think fresh) the better!