Get the Salt Out by C.N.S. Ph.D. Ann Louise Gittleman Page B
Authors: C.N.S. Ph.D. Ann Louise Gittleman
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“sodium-free” and other recently regulated terms under the FDA’s new food-labeling rules. “Sodium-free” means that the food contains negligible sodium—
less than
5
milligrams per serving.
82“Very-low-sodium” is a nutrient claim given to foods that have
35 milligrams or less
of sodium per serving. Both “very-low-sodium” and “sodium-free” are good terms to look for when your diet requires strict control of your sodium intake.
83“Low-sodium” refers to foods that contain
140 milligrams or less
of sodium per serving. (All tips given the
One SaltShaker
designation in this book meet this definition.) If you don’t know how to start reducing your sodium consumption, just begin by buying “low-sodium” foods. You can eat these foods frequently throughout the day without exceeding the FDA’s guidelines for sodium.
84“Light” can mean several things under the FDA’s new labeling regulations. When referring to sodium, “light” can signify low-calorie, low-fat foods whose sodium content has been reduced by at least
50 percent.
If the sodium level of a food has been reduced by one-half but the food is not low in calories and fat, the label must be specific by saying “light in sodium.”
85“Less” or “fewer” are terms that can help you choose foods that have been altered to contain a certain percentage less sodium than a comparable food that is normally salted. This means that a soup may contain “20 percent less sodium” than the original soup, for example.
86A “reduced-sodium” product contains
at least 25 percent less sodium
than the regular product. This applies only to products that were not low in sodium to begin with. (If you’re confused by this regulation, don’t feel badly. This rule is tricky and hard to understand even for seasoned nutritionists.) To keep it simple, remember to choose “low-sodium” foods over “reduced-sodium” foods whenever possible.
87“Unsalted,” “without-added-salt,” and “no-salt-added” mean that no salt was added during processing of the product and indicate that the food is usually processed with salt. (In other words, these terms would not apply to sorbets, candies, or anything that doesn’t normally contain salt.)
88Also look for foods that are labeled “good sources” or “high sources” of potassium, magnesium, and calcium. These three minerals are known to counteract some of the effects of a high-sodium diet and can be protective against—and even therapeutic for—both hypertension and heart disease. (To be labeled a “good source” of one of these nutrients, one food serving must supply
between 10 and 19 percent
of the Daily Value for that nutrient. If a food supplies
20 percent or more
of the Daily Value for a particular nutrient, it legally can be called a “high source” of that nutrient.)
89No matter how much food labels help you select low-salt foods, understand that the best foods are the natural ones that have no labels to tout their many benefits. For example, a potato found in your supermarket produce section probably won’t have a label, but if it did, the label would claim “very-low-sodium” and “high in potassium” (not to mention “cholesterol-free” and “99% fat-free”). These all are accurate claims about the potato, but because fresh produce requires no labeling, many of us don’t know these facts.
90To avoid buying groceries that contain MSG (monosodium glutamate), become a supersavvy food consumer by steering clear of MSG’s other aliases. According to Russell L. Blaylock in
Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills
(Health Press, 1994), ingredients that always contain MSG include: hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrolyzed protein, hydrolyzed plant protein, plant protein extract, sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate, yeast extract, textured protein, autolyzed yeast, and hydrolyzed oat flour. Other additives that frequently contain MSG include: malt extract, malt flavoring, bouillon,
less than
5
milligrams per serving.
82“Very-low-sodium” is a nutrient claim given to foods that have
35 milligrams or less
of sodium per serving. Both “very-low-sodium” and “sodium-free” are good terms to look for when your diet requires strict control of your sodium intake.
83“Low-sodium” refers to foods that contain
140 milligrams or less
of sodium per serving. (All tips given the
One SaltShaker
designation in this book meet this definition.) If you don’t know how to start reducing your sodium consumption, just begin by buying “low-sodium” foods. You can eat these foods frequently throughout the day without exceeding the FDA’s guidelines for sodium.
84“Light” can mean several things under the FDA’s new labeling regulations. When referring to sodium, “light” can signify low-calorie, low-fat foods whose sodium content has been reduced by at least
50 percent.
If the sodium level of a food has been reduced by one-half but the food is not low in calories and fat, the label must be specific by saying “light in sodium.”
85“Less” or “fewer” are terms that can help you choose foods that have been altered to contain a certain percentage less sodium than a comparable food that is normally salted. This means that a soup may contain “20 percent less sodium” than the original soup, for example.
86A “reduced-sodium” product contains
at least 25 percent less sodium
than the regular product. This applies only to products that were not low in sodium to begin with. (If you’re confused by this regulation, don’t feel badly. This rule is tricky and hard to understand even for seasoned nutritionists.) To keep it simple, remember to choose “low-sodium” foods over “reduced-sodium” foods whenever possible.
87“Unsalted,” “without-added-salt,” and “no-salt-added” mean that no salt was added during processing of the product and indicate that the food is usually processed with salt. (In other words, these terms would not apply to sorbets, candies, or anything that doesn’t normally contain salt.)
88Also look for foods that are labeled “good sources” or “high sources” of potassium, magnesium, and calcium. These three minerals are known to counteract some of the effects of a high-sodium diet and can be protective against—and even therapeutic for—both hypertension and heart disease. (To be labeled a “good source” of one of these nutrients, one food serving must supply
between 10 and 19 percent
of the Daily Value for that nutrient. If a food supplies
20 percent or more
of the Daily Value for a particular nutrient, it legally can be called a “high source” of that nutrient.)
89No matter how much food labels help you select low-salt foods, understand that the best foods are the natural ones that have no labels to tout their many benefits. For example, a potato found in your supermarket produce section probably won’t have a label, but if it did, the label would claim “very-low-sodium” and “high in potassium” (not to mention “cholesterol-free” and “99% fat-free”). These all are accurate claims about the potato, but because fresh produce requires no labeling, many of us don’t know these facts.
90To avoid buying groceries that contain MSG (monosodium glutamate), become a supersavvy food consumer by steering clear of MSG’s other aliases. According to Russell L. Blaylock in
Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills
(Health Press, 1994), ingredients that always contain MSG include: hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrolyzed protein, hydrolyzed plant protein, plant protein extract, sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate, yeast extract, textured protein, autolyzed yeast, and hydrolyzed oat flour. Other additives that frequently contain MSG include: malt extract, malt flavoring, bouillon,
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