Salt related...This will probably end up being a rant but I'm just stunned about how naive

O

orchid

Well-known member
I am!! I truly didn't know how much salt is in everything we eat and just how difficult it is to find food that doesn't have it. My neighbors are paramedics and they say that a HUGE amount of their case calls involve high blood pressure. For the last several days we have been checking our pantry for the sodium content in stuff. It's amazing! Mustard's, ketchup, beans and on and on and on. Why so much salt in Great Northern White Beans? Who is just going to just eat them out of a can? I think most people use canned beans to add in Chili's or soups etc. so they're going to season as they make it so why put it in? I'll make my own beans and handle it but what about all those other people who don't have the time to prepare ahead for things like that? Everyone is taking in to much salt! I just went to the store to see what I can find without it and I'm just stunned! Why should it cost MORE to NOT have salt put in? We would all be much healthier if the salt was cut back in food stuff and my husbands' case, life saving! It shouldn't be this difficult. Everyone should be able to add the salt in their food that THEY want!!! Ok...I feel better now.

 
Good for you, rant on, most of us know to rinse canned beans or adjust salt, but so many peole do--

not. I am not sure how to approach this as far as getting something done. And, condiments and prepared frozen meals and soups are the worst.
Maybe a campaign like the trans fats??? I'll sign up.
I remember, many years ago baby food had added sodium because when mothers tasted it, they thought it was too bland??? Pretty sure that has been corrected.

This is just our little nieghborhood, and occassional rant if fine!
Nan

 
Nan, that reminded me of the baby food, also. They added salt, sugar and that modified starch for

just that reason. I remember my daughter's tasted pretty good, my two year old grandson's didn't taste so good, lol. He liked it, though.

 
Hi Orchid, I've been using Eden beans for years, because they have no added salt, plus

they're organic. You can find them in any health food store, and they carry a full line of beans. I don't use too many canned products, but the few I use are always low sodium or salt-free, such as: Starkist low sodium (salt-free) canned chunk white tuna (the only source of sodium is the natural sodium in tuna), Salt-free and sugar-free canned corn (forgot the brand, but you can find it at Publix, etc), Eden brand black, pinto, garbanzo, Great Northern, white navy beans, etc. For canned tomatoes, check out San Marzano tomatoes imported from Italy (look in Italian specialty stores), or Bionaturae Tuscan Tomatoes from Italy, which you can find in Whole Foods, etc. Both types are very very low sodium, unlike the salt-loaded American canned tomatoes. Also, check out Mrs. Dash's salt-free seasonings, available in all supermarkets - they're great. I like Garlic and Herb.

http://www.mrsdash.com/MDProducts/products_sb.cfm

 
I think that is the exact point Nan. The public seems to expect that the

food they buy must come seasoned and food companies have now gone over board to get us to buy theirs. I think my biggest problem with this is how limited on the shelves no salt products there are and how expensive it is. I don't think this is something that we should have to pay more for. I "get" that organic might cost more to grow but not canning tomatoes. Just to leave out the salt? And if you think about it, who probably is having health problems? I would venture to say older people on fixed or limited incomes. This just seems wrong to me and I sure wouldn't have a clue of how to shine light on it. Well...I think I see a letter to my newspaper about to get written. LOL

 
Oh, one more thing. I always rinse my beans but that won't remove the sodium

if they have been cooked with it will it? Oh, I have a headache!

 
Thanks Meryl, all good information. I have been searching on line about

all this and I saw Mrs. Dash mentioned a lot. I checked it out and it would be a real convenience. I have all the spices that are in them so I skipped it. We're having grilled chicken breasts with lemon pepper tomorrow and since my favorite one that I use has salt in it...I'll make my own tomorrow. Tomatoes are getting pretty cheap so I will probably can some sauce. But I'll need some cans on the shelf so I'll look for the Italian brands. Thank you.

 
I agree, it's shocking how much salt is in processed food! I think it's there to cover up the taste

of the can and other chemicals that might be added.

 
But what really bugs me is how ubiquitous sugar is in processed foods. Why is there sugar in most

soups? and sauces? these foods aren't supposed to be sweet. Even foods which are supposed to be sweet are way too sweet--cereals, cakes and cookies, flavored yogurts etc.etc. etc. I have yet to find a tomato sauce which is not sweetened--which is why I don't buy them. And when they're not putting various forms of sugar in them they're chucking in carrots or onions to sweeten. Even chicken broth is hard to find without carrot taste. Yuck

 
It starts in infancy with baby formula,

Babies can taste sweet, a preponderence Nature gives them so that they will nurse- while breast milk is sweet, it is no where near as sweet as formula-When we used to make our own formula, as I recall, KAro syrup was an ingredient-
Food Processors simply exploit our natural propensity for sweets, until we arre now a nation of pre-diabetics!!!

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top