NutritionDoc

Flummoxed by cereal options?  To make a healthy choice, keep these tips in mind.

1. "WHOLE" should describe the grain listed as the first ingredient.

2. Look for 5 grams or more FIBER per serving.

3. Keep to around 200 calories per serving or LESS.

4. Don't go above 360 mg per serving of sodium.

5. Look for less than 12 grams of SUGAR per serving but keep in mind that raisins and other dried fruits in cereals will NATURALLY boost the sugar content.

Choose wisely . . . live well

If you have got 3 minutes to pack lunch, nothing is quicker than ham on rye, roast beef on a roll, or turkey on whole wheat. And you can easily dodge the sat. fat that ordinary bologna or salami can slide into your sandwich. Any well stocked meat aisle is crammed with packages sporting claims like "97% fat free", "lean", and "light".  The catch: most lunch meats are saturated with salt. A 2 oz serving packs anywhere from 500 to 1000 mg of sodium. And that does not include the sodium in the bread, mustard, mayo, pickle, etc. With experst now recommending no more than 1500 mg of sodium a day, cold cuts can put a major dent in your daily quota.  To keep your blood pressure from rising, look for meats that are labeled "healthy" or that carry either the American Heart Association's "heart check" or a government approved health claim about heart disease. But, to really slash the sodium, look for prodicts that are uncured or nitrite free.  Your taste buds won't notice the missing salt. But you still need to stay on your toes to keep your arteries in good shape.

 

 

Organic foods are hot. So are low sugar, whole grain, low fat and low calorie foods. BUT foods that are lower in sodium? Not so hot. Why don't Americans care about salt? Health officials have not exactly waged a campaign to warn us about its dangers. The media - perhaps under the food industry's influence - has largely ignored or downplayed its risk. And many people think they can ignore salt because their blood pressure is low, or it is so high that they need drugs anyway.  Whatever the reason, we are eating more salt just when health authorities are urging us to eat less.  The Institute of Medicine - independent scientists who advise the government - recently cut the recommended sodium intake from 2400 mg a day to 1500 mg or less. Most people eat at least 4000 mg a day. An order of General Tso's Chicken has more than 3000 mg. So, I will get up on my "soap box" once again and post some ideas and info to help you make healthy choices regarding sodium.