Sodium in fruits and vegetables occurs naturally and can also be added by way of substances such as salt. Sodium is also found in the form of preservatives, baking soda and monosodium glutamate (MSG). However, too much sodium in one's diet can contribute to health risks including high blood pressure and hypertension. A general guideline is between 0.09g and 2.3g per day.
Lowering Blood Pressure Using Healthy Eating
A diet rich in potassium, magnesium and calcium, and lower in fats, saturated fats and sodium, can go a long way in reducing hypertension. This is the basic surmise of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH plan, according to The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A large part of this diet advocates eating low sodium fruits and vegetables and cutting back on red meats and fried food.
Low Sodium Vegetables
You can find plenty of low sodium vegetables in fresh and frozen packages. Ensure no salt or extra sodium has been added. You can also find salt-free canned vegetables, or vegetables in the form of juice. It's important to include vitamin A in your diet, in the form of a dark green or yellow vegetables. Low sodium vegetables include artichoke, bell pepper, broccoli, carrots, celery, radish and sweet potato. Very low sodium vegetables claim a more extensive list including cabbage, cauliflower, chickpeas, collard greens, lettuces, Lima beans, mushrooms, okra, onions, parsley, peas, snap beans, tomatoes and white beans. No sodium vegetables are also found in abundance including asparagus, avocado, green beans, corn, cucumber, eggplant, garlic, lemon, peppers, potatoes and squash.
Low Sodium Fruit
There are plenty of low sodium fruit choices you can make to ensure you meet your daily dietary fruit requirements. If it's hard to get fresh fruit, canned and frozen fruit work just as well as do natural fruit juices. Again, check labels to ensure no extra sodium by way of preservatives is added. Very low sodium fruit that contains 35mg or less sodium per serving include dried apricots, cantaloupe, dried figs, grapes, pineapple, and seedless raisins. Sodium-free fruit includes apples, apricots, bananas, blackberries, sweet cherries, dates, figs, grapefruit, guava fruits, kiwifruit, mangoes, nectarines, oranges, peaches, pears, strawberries, tangerines and watermelons.
Understanding Labels
When buying frozen or canned fruits and vegetables, it's important to understand what the labels mean. "Reduced" or "less" sodium signifies the sodium content is reduced by 35 percent or more than the original version. "Light" in sodium means that the reduction is by 50 percent or more. "Low-sodium" on the other hand means 140mg of sodium or less per serving, while "sodium-free" indicates 5 percent or less.
Spice Up Your Fruits and Vegetables
It's hard to stay on a healthy, low-sodium diet filled with fruit and vegetables if you lead a busy life and dine out a lot. The Heart Failure Society of America offers a number of suggestions on how to spice up a plate of greens using no or low-sodium options. One way to do this is to bring to the table your own salt-free seasoning which you can use to season a plate of steamed vegetables. Dried herbs such as mint and parsley or freshly squeezed lemon sprinkled over vegetables can give the dish an instant flavor boost. Similarly, cinnamon and nutmeg over fresh fruit can make a light, yet tasty dessert.
Member Comments