Looking for Sodium

Looking for Sodium

                I am sure nobody intentionally goes out to purchase food and say let me get some sodium; but if you are not careful it is just what you will be doing.

                Sodium, is always out there, in almost everything prepared that you purchase; even low sodium can still be too high. Lets us compare a few items:

                ½ cup of unsalted rice, something you prepare at home vs. 1 slice of white bread, the rice will have about 5mg of sodium; while one single slice of bread can have 120mg sodium.  It makes you say oh my, that is a lot, and I was using a slice of bread that has one of the lowest sodium levels.

                Let us look a tuna fish, a fresh slice broiled in the oven has 20-40mg of sodium depending on the size, but a can packed in water has about 300mg of sodium, it makes you stop and think; I know it stopped me in my tracked.

                Many of the items that are high in sodium such as canned meats and vegetable; can be purchased frozen if your time is limited; take a London broil, but that in to cook, grab a box or bag of  frozen vegetables and prepare. I agree it might take a few minutes long to prepare, and of course clean up is not as easy, but the sodium difference can anywhere from 400-1000mg of sodium if you are not careful.

                So remember while a small amount is in nature and the foods it provides us, the amount used during preparation and canning is just way too much.  Too, much sodium, can and will kill over a period of time.

                If you “need” to purchase can products, perhaps you live to far from a market; then look for no added sodium.  As a smart consumer one should learn the language of the trade, no added sodium is approximately at most 1mg of sodium; while a regular can of vegetable same size can have 200mg. The next time you go to the market look at the difference ways they use the phrase, “sodium”.

                We have low sodium, reduced sodium, which is still about a quarter of the amount of a regular can, while light sodium has fifty percent, so health conscious consumers be aware.

                                Sodium is everywhere.