Cut the Salt Habit

You may have heard from your doctor or dietitian that you need to reduce your sodium intake to help decrease your risk for heart disease and high blood pressure. High levels of sodium in the diet causes fluid retention, which makes the heart work harder to pump blood throughout the body. Excessive intake can also lead to bloating and weight gain.

So many clients tell me that they are not consuming that much sodium because they don’t add salt to their foods. In reality, the average American adult eats more than 3,400mg of sodium per day, which is more double the American Heart Association’s recommended limit! According the CDC, 65% of sodium consumed comes from the food bought in retail stores, 25% comes from restaurants, and 10% comes from home cooking. Your body needs less than 500mg to function properly. The current dietary guidelines recommend less than 2,300mg of sodium per day for adults and children with a further restriction to 1,500mg for those with pre-hypertension and hypertension.

Help to keep your heart healthy by knowing what and where to look for sodium in your favorite foods. Check out the tips below for ways to cut back on your sodium intake!

Look at the Nutrition Facts Panel

Always be sure to check the nutrition label of packaged foods. Compare different brands to see if one is lower than the other. Remember to check the serving size and servings per container because if you consume more than what is recommended, you will need to double or triple the sodium content!

Set Meal and Snack Sodium Limits

Aim for less than 500mg of sodium per meal and less than 250mg of sodium per snack (or side dish) as a rule of thumb. 

Aim for Low-Sodium or No-Salt-Added

More and more companies are putting the words “no-salt-added” on the front of their package. While this won't guarantee the product is "low-sodium" (less than 140mg per serving) it is a great step. Try buying canned sauces, vegetables, and beans with this statement and again always check the food label.

Rinse Your Canned Foods

Drain and rinse canned vegetables and beans to cut the sodium by approximately 60%. 

Limit Highly Processed Foods

Luncheon meats, cheeses, cakes, cookies, and restaurant foods are almost always loaded with sodium, along with more calories and fat. Try to limit your portions of these foods and compliment them with more fresh fruits and veggies. 

Watch Your Sauces/Condiments

Sauces, gravies, salad dressings, ketchups, can all be ladened with salt. Look for low-sodium options. If you are going out to eat, ask for these items on the side and use sparingly. 

Opt for Fresh Fruits and Veggies

Fruits and vegetables are naturally low in sodium. Try to make at least half of your plate veggies and add fresh fruits to your snacks!

Cook More at Home

When you are cooking at home, you are able to control how much sodium goes into your meals. Experiment with fresh herbs and spices for flavor. Also, try adding citrus (like lemons or limes) to boost the natural flavor in foods. 

Just a reminder, a food label can claim a meal/main dish is "healthy" if it contains less than 600mg of sodium, which is still a lot. Be the salt sleuth and take control of what you eat!

Check out the American Heart Associations article on table salt versus sea salt: http://sodiumbreakup.heart.org/sodium-411/sea-salt-vs-table-salt/

References

www.heart.org

www.health.gov

Cereal Vs. Ice Cream

This past week I had the privilege of leading a nutrition supermarket tour. When my tour group came to the cereal aisle, many of my participants had a very eye-opening experience about all of the sugar in "healthy cereal" products. In talking about carbohydrates and sugar, one woman had a very interesting comment, "With that much sugar, I could have just had my bowl of ice cream for a snack. I thought I was being healthier by having cereal."

After the tour, I was curious to see how cereal, a so called wholesome breakfast, really stacked up to a bowl of ice cream. Here begins my investigation:

Raisin Bran (w/o Milk)(1 cup): 
-Calories: 190    -Total Fat: 1g       -Sodium: 210mg    -Total Carbs: 46g
-Fiber: 7g    -Sugars: 18g    -Protein: 5g  
-Additional Vitamins and Minerals

Raisin Bran (with skim milk)(1 cup): 
-Calories: 230    -Total Fat: 1g       -Sodium: 275mg    -Total Carbs: 52g
-Fiber: 7g    -Sugars: 24g    -Protein: 9g

Special K (with skim milk)(3/4 cup):
-Calories: 160    -Total Fat: 1g       -Sodium: 205mg    -Total Carbs: 33g
-Fiber: 3g    -Sugars: 16g    -Protein: 6g
  
Choc Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream (1/2 cup):
-Calories: 160    -Total Fat: 9g      -Sodium: 65mg       -Total Carbs: 20g
-Fiber: 0g    -Sugars: 14g    -Protein: 2g
-Vitamin A and Vitamin C

Chocolate Ice Cream (1/2 cup):
-Calories: 150    -Total Fat: 7g       -Sodium: 45mg    -Total Carbs: 19g
-Fiber: 1g    -Sugars: 14g    -Protein: 2g
-Vitamin A and Vitamin C

So, we have similar calorie ranges, especially with the ice cream and Special K cereal. The ice creams have a higher fat content and lower protein content; however, they have less sugar, calories, and sodium. The cereals have more sodium, carbohydrates and sugars; however, they also have fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals.

What does that leave us with? Well, the cereals are a good source of fiber and protein, at the expense of too much sugar and sodium intake. I'm not sure how many people really measure out their cereals in the morning anyway. Most of the time, cereal is just poured in the bowl and eaten. Unless you measure your cereal (kudos to you), you will be likely multiplying all of the nutritional information by 2.

In terms of which is a "healthier snack," I would go for what tastes better. In the end, they both have a high carb/sugar content, as opposed to healthier snacks (like veggies, nuts, seeds, or fresh fruit). I really suggest checking the sugar content of your favorite cereals. If you have never took notice of the nutrition label, you may be surprised at how much sugar you are consuming. While cereal does have extra vitamins, minerals, protein (mostly due to the milk added), and fiber, it is not a significant amount to make a difference if you are eating an overall healthy diet. Most cereals are "enriched" with vitamins and minerals anyway, so they aren't really a "natural" source to begin with. Depending on the cereal, and ice cream, you choose, you may even end up with more skewed results than I found.

Some final advice:
1. Always read the nutrition label! Look at the ingredient list too. Ingredients are listed by weight, in descending order.
2. If sugar is one of the first 4 ingredients, skip it!
3. Compare products. Check out all of the nutrients and see which is the best option.
4. Be mindful of portion sizes. Read the serving size and compare it to what you are normally eating.
5. If all else fails, have a little splurge and enjoy what you are eating!

http://www.turkeyhill.com/products/premium-ice-cream-flavors.aspx?pID=431

nutritiondata.self.com/facts/sweets/5547/2

Tips for Decreasing High Blood Pressure

The first leading cause of death in the US is heart disease and the third leading cause of death is stroke. Having high blood pressure (hypertension) increases your risk of developing both heart disease and stroke. High blood pressure can also result in congestive heart failure, kidney disease, and blindness. High blood pressure makes your heart work harder and contributes to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). While genetics plays a role in the development of high blood pressure, there are still things that you can do to decrease your risk.

What is Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is the force exerted by the blood on the walls of the vessels during contraction and relaxation. The numbers in your blood pressure reading tell how hard your heart is working to pump blood. A blood pressure of less than or equal to 120/80 is considered normal. A blood pressure of 140/90 or higher is considered high. 

Weight Reduction
As body weight increases, blood pressure rises. The single most important factor in decreasing high blood pressure is weight reduction. Losing just 5 pounds can decrease blood pressure! 

Sodium
Eating excessive amounts of salt causes your body to retain more water. The increase in fluid circulating in the body causes an increase in pressure on the blood vessels. The blood vessel walls begin to thicken and the heart has to work harder to move fluid around, leading to high blood pressure. Aiming for 1,500mg of sodium can help to manage high blood pressure. Sodium is found in processed foods like deli meats, soups, and frozen meals.

Potassium
A diet high in potassium helps to protect you from high blood pressure. Potassium inhibits the reabsorption of sodium in the body. It is recommended to consume between 2,000 and 4,000mg of potassium. Potassium can be found in many fruits (oranges, tomatoes, bananas, raisins, apricots) and vegetables (potatoes, peas, beans, broccoli, spinach).

Alcohol
Chronic consumption of more than 1 ounce per day of alcohol has been associated with higher blood pressure. Intake should be limited to 1-2 ounces of ethanol per day. This translates into 1 12-oz beer, 4oz wine, and 1oz of hard liquor.

Physical Activity 
Physical activity decreases your risk of high blood pressure by as much as 50%. Regular physical activity helps to strengthen your heart. As little as 30 minutes per day of physical activity can decrease blood pressure by 10mmHg.  Physical activity also helps with weight management.

Lastly, smoking cessation is an also a very important change to make when decreasing your risk of high blood pressure.

Happy heart health!

www.heart.org

Eat This, Not That

So, you skip the homemade dinner and opt to go out to eat. But what do you choose?! Although what is available to you may not always be the healthiest, some choices are better than others.  Now, on to eat this, not that!

Restaurants

Applebee's
Eat This: Grilled Cajun Lime Tilapia
               310 calories, 6g fat, 0g saturated fat, 1,250mg sodium
Not That: Grilled Steak Caesar Salad
               1,295 calories, 82g fat, 26g saturated fat, 2,199mg sodium


Burger King
Eat This: Croissan'wich Egg and Cheese
              300 calories, 17g fat, 6g saturated fat, 740mg sodium
Not That: Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit
               530 calories, 37g fat, 12g saturated fat, 1,490mg sodium


Chick-fil-A
Eat This: Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich
              270 calories, 3.5g fat, 1g saturated fat, 940mg sodium
Not That: Chicken Caesar Cool Wrap
               480 calories, 16g fat, 6g saturated fat, 1,640mg sodium  




Dunkin' Donuts
Eat This: Ham Egg and Cheese English Muffin
              310 calories, 10g fat, 5g saturated fat, 1,270mg sodium
Not That: Multigrain Bagel
               500 calories, 15g fat, 7g saturated fat, 930mg sodium



Olive Garden
Eat This: Chicken Giardino
              448 calories, 11g fat, 1,670mg sodium
Not That: Stuffed Chicken Marsala
               1,315 calories, 86g fat, 2,550mg sodium



Outback Steakhouse
Eat This: Prime Minister's Prime Rib
              730 calories, 39g fat, 65g carbohydrates
Not That: Ayers Rock Strip Steak
               1,450 calories, 85g fat, 87g carbohydrates



P.F. Chang's
Eat This: Ginger Chicken and Broccoli
              660 calories, 26g fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 45g carbohydrates
Not That: Kung Pao Chicken
               1,240 calories, 80g fat, 10g saturated fat, 58g carbohydrates


Ruby Tuesday
Eat This: 7 oz Top Sirloin
              464 calories, 24g fat
Not That: Turkey Burger
              1,171 calories, 58g fat

Additional Swaps and Tips

Muffins
-Look at the paper they are sitting on. A dark stain means they are loaded with fat.

Movie Theaters
Eat This: Popcorn (10 cups)
              550 calories, 31g fat, 5g saturated fat, 972mg sodium
Not That: Nachos (6-8 nachos with cheese)
               608 calories, 34g fat, 14g saturated fat, 1,736mg sodium



Yogurt
Eat This: Dannon Light and Fit Strawberry Yogurt
              60 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 90mg sodium, 7g sugar
Not That: Dannon Fruit on the Bottom Strawberry Banana
              150 calories, 1.5g fat, 1g saturated fat, 95mg sodium, 26g sugar

When eating out, remember, it is not always about the calories. It is also important to consider the protein, fat, and carbohydrate content of the meal. Stay tuned for an "Eat This, Not That" supermarket edition!



Zinczenko D. Eat this not that. New York, NY. 2008. 

Salt: The Silent Killer

Put down the salt shaker and slowly walk away! Those pure, white crystals look so innocent as they gleam in the shakers. Appearances sure are deceiving since high intake of salt is a major cause of high blood pressure, which ultimately leads to heart attacks and strokes. Just 1 teaspoon of salt contains about 2,400 mg of sodium. That is almost double the recommendation of 1,500mg of sodium (American Heart Association).

You may be thinking "I don't add salt to my foods, so I can't possibly be consuming that much sodium." Think again! About 77% of sodium comes from processed foods and foods eaten outside the home. The foods that contribute the most sodium, because of their frequent consumption, are: bread, cheese, deli meats, cakes, canned soup, and cookies. Even those "healthy" frozen dinner meals are prime suspects of high sodium content. 1 package of Boston Market's Homestyle Meal Beef Sirloin contains 2,270mg of sodium. 1 bowl of Uncle Ben's Teriyaki Chicken Rice contains 1,450mg of sodium.  Most restaurant meals provide more than a whole day's worth of sodium! For example, General Tso's chicken with rice contains 3,150mg of sodium.

Why is salt used if it leads to such horrible things, like high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes? In some foods, salt is used to help bacterial growth. It is also used to mask "off-flavors that develop during high-temperature processing and long storage.

Ready to shake the salt habit?! Look below for some tips on cutting back on your sodium! Your heart will thank you later.

Tips for Cutting Back on Your Sodium:
-Read the food label! Check how much sodium, per serving is in the product. Watch for the words "soda" and "sodium."
-Taste your food before salting it. Some people have a habit of adding salt, before they even taste the meal.
-Buy fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables "with no salt added."
-Choose "convenience" foods that are lower in sodium. Cut back on frozen dinners, pizza, packaged mixes, and canned soups or broths.
-Rinse canned foods, such as tuna, to remove some sodium.
-Try herb-seasoning packets or other spices in place of salt.

Home-Made Herb Seasoning
Combine all ingredients below in a shaker:
-1 teaspoon celery seed, ground
-2 1/2 tsp. marjoram, crushed
-1 1/2 tsp. thyme, crushed
-1 1/2 tsp. dried basil, crushed
-1/2 tsp. black pepper
*You can mix and match tons of different herbs!