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Sodium
High Blood Pressure, a Hidden Killer
With American Heart Month coming to an end, I'd like to urge you to get your blood pressure checked. According to a new report from the Institute of Medicine, hypertension — aka high blood pressure — is becoming a neglected disease. When the doctor slips the Velcro cuff on and off of our arm, it's easy to zone out, but consider this: one in three American adults has hypertension and one in six will die from hypertension-related complications like a stroke or heart disease.
Minutes to a Healthier You: Check Your Bread
When I'm shopping for whole grain bread, my eyes head to the fiber content first. I try to buy bread with four grams of fiber per serving, or at least more fiber than sugar. I recently read in Prevention that cereal and bread are among the top contributors to sodium in Americans' daily diets, so I will be training my eyes to check the sodium content as well.
Denny's Sued For High Sodium Foods
We all know that many fast food chain's menu items are high in the sodium department. Armed with this knowledge, we just avoid eating at these places. Although a New Jersey resident doesn't think it's right, and is taking action against one popular chain, Denny's.
Which Snacks Are the Saltiest?
While small amounts of salt are necessary for the body to function normally, too much sodium in the diet contributes to high blood pressure, so you should do your best to avoid taking in too much. A woman shouldn't exceed more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day. You may be thinking you don't need to worry because you never sprinkle salt on your food, but many pre-made foods already contain high amounts of sodium.
5 Healthy Snacks to Satisfy Your Salt Craving
There's a whole world of snacks beyond the chip aisle, and the alternatives provide more nutrition while satisfying your urge for something salty. Get more out of your salty snacks by stocking up on these healthier choices.
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5 Saltiest Meals, With a Side Order of Hypertension
Eating out is always a treat, but the problem with eating food someone else makes is that you have no idea how much sodium it's loaded with. 2,300 mg of salt (one teaspoon) is the recommended daily limit for healthy people, but if you have issues with high blood pressure, 1,500 mg is your limit. According to a study by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), "Unsafe levels of sodium chloride, or salt, in chain restaurant meals increase one's chance of developing hypertension, heart attacks, strokes, and kidney disease."
New York Wants to Cut Back on Salt Too
You gotta love New York. It's really looking out for its New Yorkers with bans on smoking, bans on trans fat, posting calorie counts on menus, and now, NY is tackling salt. Most of the salt Americans consume comes from the processed foods we eat — not from the extra salt we sprinkle on.
Learn to Love: Miso
Starting off a sushi dinner with a steamy bowl of miso soup is a ritual I can't seem to break. The soft tofu and seaweed flavored with yummy miso makes for a comforting starter, and I'm benefiting my health to boot. While the soup is a standard on Japanese menus, there are plenty more uses for miso and a list of reasons to pick some up at the store.
Do You Avoid Processed Foods?
Salt is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of processed foods because so many of them contain high levels of sodium. This is one of the many reasons that I try to limit the amount of processed foods in my diet. And including more natural food just takes a little planning ahead — it doesn't get much simpler than throwing a banana or apple in your bag for an afternoon snack.
Salty Quiz: Which Food Contains More Sodium?
I love and crave salty foods, so I'm careful not to consume more than the daily recommended intake for sodium. Prevent consuming too much salt by expanding your focus when you're scanning nutritional labels for fat and calorie content to the rest of the finely printed information. Take the quiz to test your sodium knowledge, and keep in mind that many healthy foods contain a ton of sodium.
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