Salt and Diabetics

Dear Reader,

I will be answering some health question for FoodPicker which is a nutritional newsletter. You can view the newsletter at http://FOODPICKER.org/newsletter/nutrition/10/0210/

The question of the week was:


I have type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Some one suggested I try "Original No Salt" which is Sodium-free instead of salt. Is it a safe alternative for my use?

Answer:

It is very important that diabetics watch their sodium-chloride intake, because it shows complications with high blood pressure. The more salt in the diet, the greater the risk for high blood pressure for a diabetic. The blood pressure goal for a person with diabetes is to stay below 130/80 mmHg. Diabetics need to watch the amount sodium intake just lower the amount of intake as compared to the average American. Look at this guide. The average American consumes about 6 to 18 grams (or 1 to 3 tablespoons) of ordinary table salt (or sodium chloride) each day.

How is sodium measured?
•28 grams = one ounce
•1 gram divided into 1000 parts = one milligram (mg) or 1000 milligrams = one gram
•5.5 grams of sodium = teaspoon

The American Diabetes Association recommends a daily sodium intake of 2,400 milligrams (2.4 grams) or less if you have diabetes and mild to moderate high blood pressure.

Hospitals typically limit patients prescribed a low-sodium diet to 2,000 mg per day. The World Health Organization recommends an average daily intake of less than 2,000 mg per day, and urges governments to make efforts to reduce the amount of sodium added to processed foods.

A great way to first watch the intake of salt is by limiting the amount of processed foods: canned vegetables, canned beans, canned meats and fish, prepared snack and foods. Diabetic should focus on fresh fruits and vegetables and staying away from processed food. Also, many diabetics should put down the salt shaker and focus on using herbs,spices, and citrus for flavor.

It should be noted, however, that about 75% of the salt in the typical American diet comes from processed or commercial foods, so the benefits of table-salt substitutes are likely to be very modest. Some sodium is essential to protect the heart, but most experts agree that the amount is significantly less than that found in the average American diet.

So my recommendation is that the diabetic really watch the types of food they are eating. Switch to organic, fresh produce. Stay away from processed foods and begin to read labels. The main focus on diabetes is an overall eating makeover. Its making better choices and not relying on processed, prepacked foods. Planning and taking the time to relearn the proper way to eat. If you cut out the bad foods and really focus on eating fresh and whole foods. Adding alittle salt here and there is essential because our bodies need sodium.

The first step would be to look at what you are eating and looking through your pantries, refrigerator, and freezer. Get rid of (donate) all the processed foods and restock with fresh foods. You can always view my blog for recipes. Hope this is a great start for you. Remember completely limiting salt in your diet will cause further problems. So its mot limiting but moderating the amount.