Get the salt out

Cut sodium, add spices and fresh fruits and veggies to improve your health

By ALLISON ASKINS - aaskins@thestate.com

Small steps can take us a long way toward lessening the amount of salt, or sodium, in our diets.

“I tell people to think about it like you do when you go from whole milk to skim,” said Brook Harmon, director of dietary interventions for the University of South Carolina’s Cancer Prevention and Control Program.

But why is this necessary? Because a reduced sodium diet can help a person with hypertension, or high blood pressure, live a healthier lifestyle. In fact, some hypertension patients who combine a low-sodium diet with other healthy eating habits and increased physical activity can eliminate the need for medication altogether.

That seems a worthwhile trade-off when we consider that unchecked hypertension can lead to such serious conditions as aneurysms, kidney damage or heart enlargement.

Harmon, who conducts classes on healthy eating habits, directs her students to begin with small efforts that lower the amount of salt they take in rather than going cold turkey and totally eliminating salt from their diets.

“Different people do it different ways,” she said. “You can leave salt off the table or leave salt out when cooking.”

Just don’t add salt both times.

Or, you can begin switching out salt for an herb you know and like, and build on the process from there.

Good starter herbs are basil, oregano or thyme.

Harmon also encourages her students to consider spices used in other cultures such as cinnamon, which is familiar in Mexican recipes, adding a rich layer of flavor to many meat dishes.

Cumin, dill and garlic also add tang to dishes.

Whole garlic or garlic powder are great to add, but steer clear of garlic salt. It’s also best to steer away from most mixed spices, Harmon said, because almost all will list salt as their first ingredient, meaning there is more salt in the product than any other item listed.

Overall, Harmon said, “it’s not the added salt we use (that is the problem). It’s the canned products and packaged items we use.”

That means we could all benefit from lessening the amount of frozen dinners, canned items, soft drinks and fast foods we eat.

Instead cook more at home and eat fruits and vegetables whenever possible. And when you eat out, learn to choose fresher items over processed, water over soft drinks and salads over desserts. But be careful about salad dressings and extras that come on those salads. Ready-made dressings often are heavy on salt.

Harmon also tells her students that certain things we regularly cook with contain sodium. Take cheese, for instance.

One cup of shredded cheddar cheese can contain as much as 700 milligrams of sodium.

While the recommended daily amount of sodium is between 2,300 and 2,400 milligrams, people trying to lower their intake for health reasons typically are advised to take in no more than 1,500 milligrams per day.

That adds up quickly. At the very least, it’s a tough adjustment when you consider that the average American easily consumes 3,000 milligrams or more a day. We appear to be a nation steeped in salt.

Some salt-free products such as Mrs. Dash are OK, but Harmon advises caution here, too. Salt-free products can contain more potassium than some people need, depending on their dietary issues.

Roni Klemick, one of Harmon’s students, admits she didn’t pay much attention to her salt intake until she took a class on hypertension and lifestyle changes that can improve overall health.

“Thanks to Brook, I found all those fabulous herbs and spices and began a new way of cooking,” Klemick said. “I use Mrs. Dash, paprika, rosemary, thyme, parsley, red pepper — just to name a few.”

Klemick has found it is fun to experiment with different spices.

And now “food tastes better without the addition of all that salt,” she said.

Klemick avoids soups and canned foods. If she uses canned vegetables, she rinses and cooks them in fresh water.

Kay Reardon is another student who has learned to limit her salt intake. She began the process after surgery a year ago.

“I have not eliminated sodium, but have drastically cut back my sodium intake,” Reardon said.

As a result, Reardon has noticed that her body retains less fluid than it used to — so much so she has reduced her blood pressure medication to half a pill per day. She hopes eventually to eliminate the medication completely.

“My changes are not about fat intake or outward appearance. It’s all about what’s going on inside my body — not outside,” Reardon said.

Reach Askins at (803) 771-8614.