Low/No Salt Products

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Shari

It sure is a challenge to try to find low/no salt products at the grocery store. Even unsalted pretzels and unsalted crackers have more salt than I would like. My Husband was given a really low salt diet (1100 mg/day) so it's been a challenge. I've always been a low-fat cook since we've been married so that's not really a problem for us. It's the salt. I have found no salt tomato sauce and no salt diced tomatoes (both in cans). Oh, and there is a no-salt boullion (sp) cube made by Herbox that is good. (Actually I think it has 5 mg per cube.) We do the salt free Spike seasoning too. Has anyone found a low-sodium bread? Good Grief! I didn't realize how much salt was in bread before. Has anyone else found any good low-sodium/no sodium products out there?
 
Watch out for adulterated pork

Watch out for adulterated pork

I was quite surprised to find that my market was stocking (exclusively) pork products which had been adulterated with sodium and were marketed as "Moist and Tender". There was no mention on any of these meat packages indicating the sodium content, so the consumer was in the dark about it. Even their custom cut department was carrying adulterated pork with no mention that it was laden with salt. These meats included chops, roasts, ground pork, spare ribs, you name it. I called the Ag. and Market Dept. of the State of New York on them, and the next week, all were labeled. I also sent a complaint to the market because I feel they were endangering some people's lives. The amount of sodium content was somewhere near 30 percent!

So if you are salt free, this kind of thing could trigger a big episode of CHF, as it did with my husband. I found out during all of this that some turkey and chicken products are also adulterated to keep them moist.

By the way, they are now carrying non-adulterated pork in limited quantities.
 
Nancy,

I was just grocery shopping today and was looking at the chicken breasts. I can't remember the brand name, but there were packages of chicken there that had a label saying they were "plumped" with additives to make them moister. I didn't read the nutrition label, but I'm sure it would have been full of salt. :mad: What a pain that's going to be to try to find chicken that's not filled with added salt water.
 
hey shari!
there is this one bread that i keep in the house (that no one likes, because it's salt-free and taste free too!).
it is called ezekiel low sodium sprouted grain bread. i found it at my local health food store. i have also seen it sold online.
i don't mind it with something on it (jelly, i can't believe it's not butter spray- 0 fat, o cal., o sodium....all fake, i guess!)

nancy,
thanks for the tip on the meats! i had no idea. i'll have to check it out from here on in!

i'll keep my eyes open for any good discoveries....
thanks again,
sylvia
 
Pump

Pump

In the industry, they refer to the additive as "pump".
It is basically salt water. The meat is soaked in it and absorbs a lot more water weight. This way they sell you more weight without adding anymore meat.

We buy all our meat from a butcher and a processor who purchases animals that are antibiotic and additive-free.

You should see how they ripen your bananas...
Kev
 
For Nancy

For Nancy

Thanks for the bread tip, Nancy. I'll check our local health food store. I LOVE I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray. We use it all the time. Here's a great snack - a bag of Orville Redenbacher Smart Pop (94 or 96 percent fat free) and some squirts of the ICBINB spray. Heaven! LOL!!
 
Bananas???

Bananas???

Ack! Okay, Kev...what do they do to bananas?

Also...I guess I should go to the local meat market and start buying all my meat. I don't want to pay for chicken at a grocery store that's filled with salt water. Gross. :eek:
 
You can get the following snack items without added salt:

Cape Cod brand potato chips
corn chips, can't remember what brand
blue corn chips, also can't remember what brand
 
sodium intake

sodium intake

All this talk about low sodium recipes and foods leads me to believe that just maybe I'll have to limit my sodium intake after surgery? No one has ever told me to do so before...and OH! how I love my salty foods!
I've been doing low fat for several years, but never saw a need for low sodium. Will that change? Barbara (mimi)
 
PS

PS

I just assumed everyone already knows what my situation is, like the whole world is revolving around me right now...DUH!! I'm so totally preoccupied with this thing I'm becoming a royal pain. I'm having an AVR next week. Now, about the sodium. Thanks, all. Barbara
 
Hi Mimi314! From the time I found out what was wrong with me(AVR & MVR, MArch 8, 2001) until about three months after surgery, a total of about 7 months I was fanatical about my sodium intake. I wouldn't even use ketchup, mustard etc because I knew it had sodium in it. I used a lot of Mrs. Dash which were actually fairly good. At Christmas the family had ham (way too much salt!) while I had chicken that I had made in crockpot with a lot of no sodium herbs and spices. When I was due to go back to work, I asked the doctor if I had to live sodium free forever. What he told me is I could eat anything I like in moderation. Yes, I do have ketchup and mustard sometimes. So I keep that in mind. Actually once I didn't have real salty foods for a while,when I did eat something salty, it tastes too salty. Our bodies do learn to adjust. Hope that helps answer your question.
 
low sodium

low sodium

Lorraine...did your cardiologist or surgeon tell you you needed to curtail your sodium, or did you just do it on your own?
 
For Mimi

For Mimi

Hi Mimi,

My husband was a salt "freak." He would always sprinkle salt on his food even before tasting it. :mad: After his surgery, they told us that salt was a no-no. Why? Because as salt is processed through the body, your kidneys have to use extra water to filter all the salt out. That extra water adds volume to the blood which in turn puts extra work on your heart and the valve. My husband had an aortic dissection so his aorta is repaired with a graft. If any stitch would happen to pop out, he'd be in big trouble. And the extra water in the blood puts a strain on the heart valve. The little flap thing (see how technical I am) could wear out. That's what we were told, anyhow. I have to say that my former salt-loving husband has done extremely well with this. He's cut it all out. When it comes to your life or salt, it's easier to give up the salt. LOL! Even our little girls tell everyone, "Daddy can't eat salt!!" We don't use it anymore at all. And I try to find the lowest sodium content in packaged foods that I can. Thankfully, I like to cook and we don't eat lots of processed foods, canned foods and things that are filled with salt.
 
hi barbara!
many folks come out of the surgery a little water-retentive and are sent home taking lasix or other diuretcs to get rid of the excess fluid (in the entire body! ankles, waistline, hands, etc). this, alone, reinforced the idea of not using salt at all in order to get rid of the fluid. joey still takes a lasix every other day or so, although he is clearly free of almost all of the additional fluids he was retaining from the surgery.

it's really not a big deal once you get used to it. we don't add salt to any of our foods (we cook every night), yet we do use some ketchup and mustard once in awhile (can't do that to our kids who also eat low salt).

good luck and be well!
-sylvia
 
hi barbara!
many folks come out of the surgery a little water-retentive and are sent home taking lasix or other diuretcs to get rid of the excess fluid (in the entire body! ankles, waistline, hands, etc). this, alone, reinforced the idea of not using salt at all in order to get rid of the fluid. joey still takes a lasix every other day or so, although he is clearly free of almost all of the additional fluids he was retaining from the surgery.

it's really not a big deal once you get used to it. we don't add salt to any of our foods (we cook every night), yet we do use some ketchup and mustard once in awhile (can't do that to our kids who also eat low salt).

good luck and be well!
-sylvia


by the way... what is the date of your surgery next week? where are you having it done?
 
Mimi314,

I was retaining fluid in my legs & ankles and once the doctors figured out I was in CHF, he prescribed Lasix(water Pills) and Kadur(Potassium pills)immediately. He then told me to keep salt to a minimum. I did't know how much I was supposed to cut down, but after reading up on it I figured 1000mg or less a day would be safe. Then I started seeing the amounts of sodium that was in stuff. I've always cooked pretty much natural foods. I never became a package food addict basically because I never liked the taste of the additives. Imagine my surprise when I saw a 4oz serving of Ham was 1000-1500mg depending where you read. Luckily I never cared for ham much anyway so it wasn't a total loss. I was fanatical about all sodium. I then realized that you have to have some sodium in your body so I figured the ketchup and mustard could come back!lol!
 
low salt diet

low salt diet

Shari and Sylvia,
Thank you both for the information. Looks like I'll have to change my eating habits just a tad. It all makes sense...I've just never applied it to me before, I guess. I've never been one to retain fluids (unles that's what these extra 30 pounds I've been hauling around are). 'Preciate it, Barbara (mimi)
 
low salt

low salt

Sorry, Lorraine;..I missed your reply before...I appreciate your writing also. The info is interesting.
Shari...my surgery is next Thursday at St. Dominic's hospital in Jackson MS. I wish it was tomorrow. The waiting is getting to me. I did order a CD that was recommended to me on this site (I can't remember who told me about them...that's a bad thing about this...it's so hard to keep up with who said what) to help with the anxiety. I'll let y'all know if they help.
Thanks again. Barbara (mimi)
 
hi barbara!
the waiting is awful! those guided imagery tapes from diane tusek.... are those the ones you ordered? they are great! please use them!
so, the date of your avr is nov. 1? we'll all be here for you as you need us.
hope this salt-free thing doesn't drive you nuts; it gets easier as you get used to it.
just be well and keep in touch.
-sylvia
 
Diane's tapes

Diane's tapes

Sylvia,
Yes, it's the CD that Diane Tusec sells. I've been communicating with her all week, she's really a neat and caring lady. I'm so looking forward to receiving the CD and trying it out.

I'm thinking that my daughter might also benefit from it. She's one of these "Super Moms" trying to be everything to everyone, plus holding down an extremely stressful job, and it's taking a toll on her in the form of migraine headaches.

Diane has actually been here in Jackson at St. Dominic's (where I will have my surgery), holding a seminar for operating room personnel.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Barbara (mimi)
 
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