Sodium, Sodium Everywhere! AUGH!!!

Gatekeeper · December 30, 2002, 14:44

Is it just me, or is it darn near impossible to avoid sodium in foods?

I just ate a meal and calculated the sodium intake at around 1,459 mg — that was for two ham sandwiches, one cup Cheerios w/1 percent milk, a banana and 9 baby carrots.

Sheesh!

It seems about the only way to avoid sodium is to turn into a vegetarian or eat only fruit, veggies and home-cook everything else. Yeah, right, like I have time for home-cooking all the time on top of everything else life demands on a daily basis from me.

I'd rather try to control blood pressure via exercise and medication if necessary. Heck, even the low-sodium soups are still fairly high in sodium and tasteless (except I did find one good brand that has taste *and* half the sodium content of the company's regular product).

Gatekeeper

Imran Siddiqui · December 30, 2002, 14:49

Salt is yummy

.

Arrian · December 30, 2002, 14:52

It's particularly bad in a lot of "low fat" foods, because in order to make up for the tasty goodness of fat, they stick in a bunch of salt.

-Arrian

Anodyne · December 30, 2002, 14:53

Go vegetarian!

Graag · December 30, 2002, 14:55

Mmmm. Salt.

The Mad Monk · December 30, 2002, 14:55

Sodium is everywhere.

Spray from ocean waves is picked up by the wind and quickly evaporates into tiny salt particles, which are the major 'seed' particles for rain drops.

VJ · December 30, 2002, 15:32

There was a anti-NaCl -campaign in food, here in Finland few years ago.
Surprised it hasn't hit there yet. Cutting down on meat would help a lot, for a start.

Gatekeeper · December 30, 2002, 15:39

And they wonder why tens of millions of people in the United States alone have high blood pressure. Sodium has to play a significant role in that, IMHO.

Gatekeeper

Imran Siddiqui · December 30, 2002, 15:43

But it's GOOD!

Lancer · December 30, 2002, 15:57

I have to eat extra salt (and a pill) because I have addisons and my body doesn't retain the stuff. Salt tastes sooo good to me.

Buck Birdseed · December 30, 2002, 16:24

Recent studies show salt intalke is not nearly as harmful as previously thought. Don't worry about it.

Az · December 30, 2002, 16:46

eating a lot of potassium should help get rid of it , IIRC.
( the K-Na-ATP-ase pump protein ).

Lord_Davinator · December 30, 2002, 17:16

hmm... ya good for you blood pressure... unless you're high already...

VJ · December 30, 2002, 18:19

Quote:

Recent studies show salt intalke is not nearly as harmful as previously thought

There are few things what make these "recent studies" both stupid and senseless, you see
the only study which I remember saying that was:
(a) American study
(b) A study was generously sponsored by food industry chain.

...so...

Az · December 30, 2002, 18:24

Na is definetly bad, because the body has wayyy much more than it actually needs, due to the high concentration of Na on earth.

however, as I mentioned before, eating potassium triggers the K-Na-ATP-ase pump which pumps potassium from the blood stream, and sends Na(Sodium) out of the sell. This pump needs all three factors to function, and if we add more K (potassium) it would replace the Sodium more vigorously, and burn energy in the process.

Az · December 30, 2002, 18:34

so many typos...

good night.

Buck Birdseed · December 30, 2002, 18:39

So it's bananas all round then?

monolith94 · December 30, 2002, 22:21

Salt? unhealthy? Ridiculous, so long as you don't go practically DUMPING it in your dishes, your fine. I've always had what I consider to be an average amount of salt intake and I've always had peachy blood pressure.

Urban Ranger · December 31, 2002, 00:33

Quote:

Originally posted by Azazel
however, as I mentioned before, eating potassium triggers the K-Na-ATP-ase pump which pumps potassium from the blood stream, and sends Na(Sodium) out of the sell. This pump needs all three factors to function, and if we add more K (potassium) it would replace the Sodium more vigorously, and burn energy in the process.

I thought K+ is in the cells while Na+ is in the blood?

Zkribbler · December 31, 2002, 00:41

Quote:

Originally posted by Gatekeeper
It seems about the only way to avoid sodium is to turn into a vegetarian or eat only fruit, veggies

Beware low-cal salad dressing.

The salt content will kill you.

Lord_Davinator · December 31, 2002, 02:32

I like salt so STOP picking on it

Gatekeeper · December 31, 2002, 02:42

Bah. I'm just going to control high blood pressure by gradually dropping weight. Probably far easier to do that than to sit here and actively measure the sodium content of everything I eat, thereby driving me nuts, thereby causing my blood pressure to go up.

And, Imran, go eat some spinach!

Gatekeeper

Dis · December 31, 2002, 03:58

What's wrong with sodium?

Gatekeeper · December 31, 2002, 04:34

Too much can apparently cause your blood pressure to rise, increasing the risk of long-term damage to your organs and circulatory system.

I figure life's out to kill you the moment you're born.

Gatekeeper

aaglo · December 31, 2002, 05:56

Sodium is necessary in small quantities, harmful in large quantities and deadly in ridiculous quantities.

The Mad Monk · December 31, 2002, 08:21

Quote:

Originally posted by Azazel
Na is definetly bad, because the body has wayyy much more than it actually needs, due to the high concentration of Na on earth.

So, our bodies aren't equiped to handle the planet we developed on?

Urban Ranger · December 31, 2002, 09:32

No, it's just that modern society we can't handle.

Evil Knevil · December 31, 2002, 10:40

Don't ever eat anything from a can, ever again

They stuff in so much salt its ridiculous..

a can of Baked Beans has at least a tablespoon added.

Gatekeeper · December 31, 2002, 14:46

Yep. One can of bean and bacon soup contains 90 percent (or so) of your optimal sodium intake for an entire 24-hour period.

Gatekeeper

VJ · December 31, 2002, 15:00

Optimal salt per day : 3g.