At Seasonings In The Sun, one of our missions is to inspire healthy living. We hope that this blog about the benefits of a low sodium diet challenges you to make healthier choices and shop more mindfully when in the grocery store. I learned a few jaw dropping things when researching for this post, so I encourage you to do the same!
There are a lot of reasons to reduce or eliminate sodium. A diagnosis of heart or kidney problems will likely lead to your doctor advising you to cut back or get rid of sodium. Maybe just to have a healthier diet; natural unprocessed foods have sodium in them naturally, we really do not need to add more.
Salt is sodium and chloride ions. Sodium is essential for functions in the body, a lot of people get too much of it. The human body needs less than 500 milligrams of sodium per day, most Americans consume 3400 milligrams a day! Processed foods are loaded with sodium – the more you eat it, the more you want.
My father struggled with salt intake issues as did his father. While I do not have these issues, as I age, I do try living a healthier lifestyle. Learning how bad excess sodium can be for your health and about the benefits of a low sodium diet, Seasonings In the Sun’s no salt seasonings are worth a try. You will be amazed that you can make delicious, flavorful dishes without adding salt! Flavors will really pop!
The trick to salt free seasonings is the spices, herbs and aromatics that contain a lot of flavor. Our no salt seasonings and spices are all flavorful without added sodium.
Seasonings In the Sun is a family owned company, in Glendale, Arizona that makes and distributes delicious seasonings without any salt. We have many choices to choose from. We have spices for everything from veggies to tacos, to fish, meat and more. Seasonings In The Sun is one of the best ways to add flavor without adding salt.
Mainstream seasoning packets
Have you ever looked at the list of ingredients in your favorite seasoning packet? If you did, you might end up leaving the grocery store aisle empty-handed.
Oftentimes, companies will include additives such as anti-caking agents, high amounts of sodium, and preservatives.
If you have certain health goals, you may want to pay closer attention to what’s in your spice mixes. Here are a couple things to look out for next time you’re in the market for spices:
Sodium content
Additives like Maltodextrin, Sugar, Salt, or Ethoxyquin
How much sodium are we talking?
First, let's start with sodium. What exactly is sodium, you ask? Sodium Chloride is the chemical name for salt. Salt and sodium are not completely the same, however they are oftentimes used interchangeably as marketing ploys. Sodium is a substance that affects blood pressure and is the main ingredient in salt. Ordinary table salt is only 40 percent sodium. The other 60 percent is another mineral, chloride. Sodium is a mineral in and of itself. t's important to note that in addition to sodium chloride (Salt), sodium shows up in food in other forms including monosodium glutamate (MSG), sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and sodium nitrate (a preservative) among many others.
A food item can be marketed as “unsalted” or “no added salt” but include sodium in the nutrition label. How crazy is that? That’s because of the natural sodium in the spice, herb, or food. Fruits and vegetables are naturally low in sodium.
Some seasoning blends you’ll find in the grocery store, such as taco seasoning packets, can have a sodium count of up to 300 milligrams or more! A count that high could put you at risk of ingesting more than the recommended daily amount of sodium per day, which is about 1100mg.
Why should you watch your sodium intake?
High levels of sodium are linked to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. According to the American Heart Association, when you lower your high blood pressure, you reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Implementing small new habits into your daily life such as checking spice nutrition labels for sodium contents can make a huge impact on your overall health and well being.
A low-sodium diet is important to follow in order to control your heart failure symptoms and prevent future heart problems.
Limiting your sodium and fluid intake will help prevent and control the amount of fluid around your heart, lungs, or in your legs.
When you carry extra fluid, it makes your heart work harder and may increase your blood pressure.
A low-sodium diet means more than eliminating the saltshaker from the table!
One teaspoon of table salt = 2,300 mg of sodium
Malto-what?
Maltodextrin is a nutrition-less white powder added to food as a thickener. It comes from natural food sources such as corn, wheat, and potatoes, but it is heavily processed.
When you consume Maltodextrin, you risk spiking your blood sugar as it has an even higher glycemic index than table sugar.
Medical News Today explains that there are several other health risks associated with consuming large amounts of Maltodextrin.
These include:
Jeopardizing gut bacteria health
Allergic reactions or intolerances
Consuming genetically modified foods
SITS encourages you to do your own research and consider checking the ingredient lists and nutrition labels more carefully when shopping. Just remember, this is what a seasoning blend should look like.
Want to take the guess work out of it? Check out our spice blends here.