Nutrition and Weight Loss Ideas

How’s Your Sodium? Are you watching your sodium intake? You should be if you’re with us on a good nutrition and weight loss program. Be very careful with those processed and frozen foods — they are loaded with sodium. If you check with a nutritionist they’ll probably advise staying below 200 milligrams per 100 calories of food.

Here are some of my favorite low-sodium food finds.

Low Sodium V8

With only 140 milligrams of sodium in each eight ounce serving (75 percent less sodium than the regular stuff), Low Sodium V8 is a great choice for those who love to drink their veggies but have to watch their salt intake. It also has just 50 calories and eight grams of sugar in each cup—that’s much fewer calories and sugars than what you’d get from most fruit juices.

Amy’s Organic Cream of Tomato Soup, Light in Sodium

That Amy is one smart gal. She recently added some new low-sodium soups and frozen entrees to her line of yummy organic foods. Try the cream of tomato. One cup has just 100 calories and 340 milligrams of sodium per serving. That’s still a little high, but not objectionable. And it’s really good!

Low Sodium Triscuits

Triscuits are a favorite from way back. These woven crackers are hearty, crunchy and delicious –— and, of course, low in salt! Each six-cracker serving has only 160 calories and 50 milligrams of sodium. That’s really good. A big plus — they’re also made from 100% whole wheat. Warning: Just be sure not to top them with high-sodium extras!

Glenny’s No Salt Added Soy Crisps

Crispy, crunchy chips are usually super-salty. Not these babies. Glenny’s No Salt Added Soy Crisps have just 100 milligrams of sodium per serving. They’re low-cal and low-fat, too, with just 70 calories and one gram of fat per serving. Crunch it up!

Quaker Rice Cakes, Unsalted

These little circles of airy rice contain only 35 calories and no fat. And they have just 15 milligrams of sodium apiece. These cakes are a great foundation for creative cookers. Top yours with a smear of natural peanut butter, and/or sugar-free jam (that’s my favorite!) The possibilities are endless (and delicious).

Applegate Farms Turkey

Lunch and deli meats are notorious for containing obscene amounts of salt. Applegate Farms is one of the few brands that have a reasonable salt content. And they use no nitrates in their meats. Find their deli meats at Whole Foods and select supermarkets.

Healthy Choice Cheese Ravioli

If you love the convenience of frozen meals but hate their astronomical salt content, try Healthy Choice Cheese Ravioli (260 calories, 5 grams fat, 340 milligrams sodium). It’s much lower in salt than the typical frozen meal. And who doesn’t love ravioli?

Newman’s Own No Butter/No Salt 94 Percent Fat-Free Microwave Popcorn

Popcorn can have hundreds of milligrams of sodium per serving. Thanks to Paul Newman, not this popcorn! With only 120 calories, 1.5 grams of fat and 30 milligrams of sodium per serving, this makes for an ideal guilt-free, low-salt snack. Go, Paul!

Here are a few more low-sodium foods …

Barley (less than 10 milligrams)
Fresh fruit (less than 10 milligrams)
Unsalted nuts (less than 10 milligrams)
Yellow mustard (around 60 milligrams)
Fresh veggies (less than 80 milligrams)
Fresh poultry (less than 90 milligrams)
Nonfat yogurt (around 140 milligrams)
Canned tuna, 2 ounces (200 milligrams)

As always, remember to follow a good-fat — good-carb diet. And do whatever you can, within your doctors recommendations, to keep up with the exercise part of your program. The benefits are priceless.

Here is some information about the nutritional supplements I add to my nutrition and weight loss program. These have helped me more than I would have ever imagined. I’m not kidding. Click on the links in the box below — you won’t be sorry!

Have a great day. I’ll be back soon with some more nutrition and weight loss thoughts for you.

And give the South Beach Diet a try. That’s what I follow and it sure has worked for me. Here’s where to go to learn more:

Shanti,

Ron
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