Great Grains Raisin, Date & Pecan Cereal  130 mg/serviing. 1 serving/day

Sunflower Kernels (shelled) 44mg/serv 1serv/day

Hazelnuts (10) 0 mg/serv

"Almost 80% of the 7,000+ sample reported eating bread during at least one of the two 24-hour dietary recall days, while all the other listed items were eaten less frequently."

I am sorry, but I have a question... what is a ' 24-hour dietary recall days?'

24 hour dietary recall is when you recall what you had to eat for the last 24 hours.

Oh, thank you very much!

Well, yay for being gluten-free then. Haven't had "real" bread in 2 years, and I rarely eat gluten-free breads because of the price for prepackaged ones and the time needed to make my own.

Make your own? There is no sodium in flour.

I make my own bread so I can control the amount of salt and sugar in it.

I've found many foods are way too salty so I avoid them or make my own versions ie baked beans, soups, salad dressings and curries. It is not difficult and I use my crockpot a lot if I have other things to do. It is mostly down to forward planning.

I am 70 and I take no blood pressure medication. 

but there is sodium in most boxed gluten-free bread mixes. And a gluten-free bread, truly made from scratch, is very expensive.

I have been tracking my food intake  for about 10 days now and even though high blood pressure is not one of my health concerns ( elevated cholesterol and weight loss are my concerns)  I was amazed to find that even making 95% healthy choices that my sodium level exceeds by just a little bit the RDA.  One of my goals in my journey to improve my health is to not consume fast food/convience food which is one of my bad habits.  There have been long periods of time in my life when my consumption of fast food has been high  .... my sodium numbers, among other risk factors ( for me excess calories and saturated fat) must have been sky high!

anyone wanting to get their real sodium intake numbers should do the food log for at least 2 weeks.  It is a great learning tool!

I read labels, I fill in calorie count daily, I watch the sodium, I use a low sodium shaker because I do not want to limit iodine, I do not eat out, I do not eat bread, I cook. When I open canned vegetable, I pour them in a strainer and rinse thoroughly thereby eliminating much of the extra sodium from preservatives. I can now taste my food and when I taste a salty food I know it and it tastes bad to me. Able to lower the hypertension with diet and am so grateful that was possible. Thank you calorie count for helping me keep good track of sodium.

Thank you to calorie count for having their application for counting calories and watching sodium intake, getting enough iron, etc.  This app has been tremedous in assisting me with eating better. 

Because of this app, I have been very successful in lowering my sodium intake.   Try using the app for a few weeks and just eat like you normally do. You will have a hard time not adjusting your intake and what you eat.   I know this because this is exactly what I did and I was surprised to see what was going into my body, written out.  It is really a wakeup call!

sodium and potassium have to go together. Good blood pressure requires both. Keep them in a good balance. What may seem like a sodium problem may be a low potassium problem. Read up on potassium and eat foods rich in it.

By rinsing the canned veggies, how much sodium do you decrease do you think? I was just wondering cause I am really struggling with my sodium right now. I have not met my sodium goal in the 5 weeks that I have been doing this and I just don't know where to start.

I am with you.  Sometimes it's great to be gluten free.  

I like to comment on the Heading "Bread in Moderation" but more specifically the word MODERATION.

This is a very misused and deceiving way to eat food. Moderation still kills us!

Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr. who wrote the book "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease" and based it on the groundbreaking results of his 20-year nutritional study (the longest study of its kind ever conducted) details how "moderation" still causes and contributes to heart disease, which is a major killer among the North American diet.

His basic point is that when you eat things in moderation you do NOT stop the crippling effects of heart disease, but instead, you slow it to a moderate pace. In other words...  it's still hurting and harming your health. People who consume foods in "moderation" are still dying of heart disease, just not as fast.

The other point to consider (this is MY opinion only) is that it appears to me that each person has a different definition of moderation. Some people think it's once a week, others believe once a month, and still others think it's once a day!

The next time you want bad food consider the fact that moderation still contributes to accumulative and harmful health risks.

Does anyone eat Ezekiel 4:9 bread? I eat the low sodium. I just checked the package and it says it has 0 sodium. One slice is only 80 calories and I rarely eat more than 1/2 slice at a time.

jbranyon-

  That is really interesting that you can taste the extra salt in food now.  I had a similar experience with sugar.  After realizing that sugar was causing skin problems(and making me fat), I went through my cupboards got rid of food that had sugar that shouldn't.  Which was pretty much all processed foods.  I started making all my food from fresh or frozen ingredients.  Now the only added sugar that is in my diet is the occasional dessert.  It took about a month for me to notice, but all of the sudden I could taste extra sugar in food.  It was gross.  Apples are like candy to me.  Now when I do make a dessert like pie or cookies, I reduce the sugar by at least half.  My husband and I like it, but others would probably think it was not sweet enough.  

  When I first started logging food, my sodium levels were already on the low side, so I did not have the same reaction to salt.  Although, I have always disliked salt.  Or at least excess salt.  I have never liked potato chips or french fries etc.  I am always secretly disgusted by people who add salt to food.  Last weekend my in-laws were in town and they ordered a pizza.  When we were going to eat they asked for salt. I thought, "really, salt on pizza.  Isn't it bad enough."  Sure enough, they were adding salt to each slice like it was a steak or something.  Talk about two people who need to retrain their taste-buds.    

I'm not a high-risk group so I put my sodium limit at 2,300. Without trying, I come under that limit everyday. The days I go over 2,000 are always days I either eat out or have a prepackaged meals, like Lean Cuisine. When at home working with whole foods and few processed foods, it's simple to limit sodium. I have to admit though, my average is 1,700, so it seems it would be more difficult to get under 1,500.

Original Post by: zaniejanie

Does anyone eat Ezekiel 4:9 bread? I eat the low sodium. I just checked the package and it says it has 0 sodium. One slice is only 80 calories and I rarely eat more than 1/2 slice at a time.

@zaniejanie--Here's an article: http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/011110p62.shtml  Draining reduces canned beans' sodium by 36% while rinsing reduced sodium by 41%. It doesn't mention other canned foods, however.

I just started on here.  Each day I've tackled a new challenge brought to light--or at least put in terms I understand.  My sodium level is 1500mg and I easily blow past that daily.  That is 3/4 t. (for just me, for the whole day!!!)  If I were cooking totally unsalted foods, I can't believe I would use anywhere near that for just my self at the table!  I have a mini shaker and am going to try it.  I'll put in 3/4 t. each day and see what's left.  First I need to clean out my pantry:)

Although, the extra salt make the water easier to drink!

Thanks, haraldten.  I come from a family of salt-a-holics so cutting out salt from canned foods will be an accomplishment in itself.  I doubt we will ever be able to eliminate all the processed foods in our house.  I'm aware of needing balances and just trying to get closer:)  Thanks, again

I'm a sodium risk limited to 1400 mg a day.  I changed my diet to something odd and have gotten so used to it that if I don't like to eat anything else.  It's helped me lose weight with my limited movements at work, etc.  I weigh out about 2.5 oz of beef before cooking and bag it in small snack bags for freezing.  When it's time for lunch or supper, fry the meat with a light spray of olive oil and have 2 tbs of onion, 2 of cucumber, 2 of shredded carrot, and 2 of low sodium petite diced tomatoes.  Seems to work for me and I've grown to love it.  If I get hungry later, I'll have a tbs or so of each veggie without the meat.  Don't know if it's healthy or not, but I get protein and vitamins.  Can't do too much of the greens since I also take a blood thinner and an armament of diabetic meds.

I cook everything at home from Natural Fresh ingredients...making bread without no salt added...same with soy milk. Limiting chess as much as possible I can. Buying tins and other foods without added salt if I can or at lest reduced sodium. One will not reduce salt intake by buying already processed food no even bread because in present industrialised market where fresh produce goes back and forth, with the aim from large corporations of making grotesque profit, too much sodium is added to preserve food. My doctor recommend me to have my food with no more than 120 milligramme of sodium for each 100 grams of food intake.

...plus, I'm vegetarian!

Hah, yes had the same thought about 24 hour recall.  Would have thought garlic bread to be higher in sodium (still high enough though)  Also curious about Americans "exceeding the recommended servings for grain products...a day". Does this include whole grain foods?  Or do, generally, whole grain foods have less sodium?  In my experience some honey whole wheat breads are relatively low in sodium.

Low sodium breads:

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5329856_brands-bread-low-salt.html

Diet Tracker

Just microwave fresh vegetables, grill meats with NO SALT seasonings, eat wheat bread, cook your own soup or chili with fresh ingredients, make your own sauces, don't eat canned or prepared foods and go to restaurants that cook to order, without salt, but bring your own seasoning because restaurants here believe foods need salted seasonings.

'Limiting chess'.  'Trying new species' - that I can do - thanks for the giggle - pesky typos are always goof for a luagh. xx Great articles BTW.

If one eats 2.400 milligrams of salt in one go...say a very salty piece of prosiuto plus a chunk of parmesano on top of a anchove pizza and then no salt at all per the rest of the day would it be healthy...???

I truly thought I did not consume 'much' sodium until I started using the Calorie Count site six weeks ago.  So easy to go over the daily sodium limit, it really is important to pay attention to the amount of sodium in ones diet.

I cook home as many meals as possible, so I can control what I am eating. Reducing Sodium intake is easier with home-cook meals.

I buy Bread with Unsalted Rye with no Yeast (Dimpflmeier brand) one slice have only 55 calories and it have only 3mg Sodium.

Also switched using regular Table Salt for Sea Salt or for finishing food Himalayan Salt. I also have few different kind of Gourmet Salt (Hawaiian, Fleur de Sel, Smoked Sea Salt) which include several naturally present trace minerals, such as Iodine, Magnesium, and Potassium.

I also use Seaweeds (in shakers) instead of using Salt for cooking (like in Stews, Soups) ....Seaweeds taste salty BUT they contain a great amount of minerals and vitamins, such as iron, iodine,  calcium, B12 and C.

I have been seeing a nutritionist and have lost about 60lbs.  One of the things she really educated me on was sodium.  She said that everyone knows too much fat and too much sugar will make you fat, but the one thing that is often left out of the equation is sodium.  Who knew that even a lot of spices are filled with sodium?  I read labels intensely now and always pay attention to sodium content.  Frozen steam-in-bag veggies are a great low/no sodium alternative to canned, just be sure they are plain and not lightly sauced. 

She also said don't be fooled by "sea salt".  It is still salt.

I  never  add salt to my food. When I was a young boy (I'm 51 now) my father told me repeatedly that salt is BAD for us. Back then I didn't understand WHY it was bad for us I just knew that my Father said it... so it must be right.

Today I still NEVER add salt to my food. As a matter of fact when people come to my house for a dinner there is NEVER a salt shaker on the table, only pepper. When asked if I have a salt shaker I say "We don't use salt in this house" and that's that!

When my wife cooks she NEVER adds the salt that the recipe calls for. NEVER!

All of the elderly men in my family have (or have had) high blood pressure, and yes, sadly so does my father. I learned through the years that he does NOT "Practice what he preched" to me all those years. Today my father is a salt-a-holic and CAN NOT taste his food unless it is covered with salt. He spends more than $4000.00 each yer on medications due to his salt intake  and other unhealthly eating habits.

I do NOT have high blood pressure... and due to my "family history" I started monitoring it many years ago on a regular basis. I realize now that "Family History" can also mean that some of us inherit "bad family eating habits".

 A close freind of mine was a salt-a-holic and would cover her food until it was WHITE from salt. When she found out that salt was a contibuter to her high blood pressure she quit. She said she could NOT taste her food for MORE THAN 4 MONTHS and at one time thought she would never taste her food again... but she did.

Everyone who has posted a comment on this page knows that salt is bad. I have a suggestion. Stop trying to "adhere to" the maximum recomended sodium amount each day and just cut out salt altogether. The only reason you are using salt is because you were brought up using it. It's nothing more than a "Killer" of a bad habit.

From the American Heart Association "... although sodium is an essential nutrient, there is no biologic requirement for 2,300mg a day. Very little sodium is needed. Under conditions of maximal adaptation and without sweating, the minimum amount of sodium required to replace losses is estimated to be no more than 180 mg per day"

EXCELLENT snippet of information haraldten.

Thanks for posting!

Original Post by: wharris124

By rinsing the canned veggies, how much sodium do you decrease do you think? I was just wondering cause I am really struggling with my sodium right now. I have not met my sodium goal in the 5 weeks that I have been doing this and I just don't know where to start.

The best way I found to keep my sodium in check is to NOT use any canned vegetables at all.  Use either fresh or frozen and you will be amazed how much lower your sodium intake is!

A great way to control your daily sodium goal is to stop eating foods that come in a box, or a bag, or a can. These foods are PROCESSED and as you ALL know we should NOT be eating them.

If we ate wholesome naturally grown foods from the earth their wouldn't be an issue with sodium.

So if you're taking in too much sodium then it quite probable that your eating to much processed foods.

Hey try Tokie's products. there is no sodium and low sugar in here mixes.

Thanks for that comment. I just read about that. I'm trying to increase my Potassium through veggies.

Original Post by: geershiftartist

Well, yay for being gluten-free then. Haven't had "real" bread in 2 years, and I rarely eat gluten-free breads because of the price for prepackaged ones and the time needed to make my own.

I completely agree. I am gluten intolerant, and I noticed my sodium intake decrease a lot when I stopped eating bread because of gluten. I do get gluten free bread, but I don't eat it as often as I was eating whole wheat bread. I was eating whole wheat bread every day. I eat Gluten Free bread once every two weeks.

Food for Life low sodium, or Ezekiel 4:9 has 0sodium and 3 grams of fiber.  It is in a refrigerator section because it must be kept cool due to a lack of preservatives.

My mom worked so dinner was always something quick and easy. We always had mashed potatoes from a box and vegetables from a can, except spinach which was chopped and frozen. The vegs were WRETCHED, soggy, loaded with salt and I always hated them. When I was old enough to start cooking on my own, I used mostly frozen vegetables which were better. Now my husband has taken up the cooking mantle and, do you know, they have FRESH vegetables in the market? I am SHOCKED! (Just kidding, but what a difference between fresh and all other veggies!) Tonight it's brussels sprouts! What a delicious discovery :-)