"The first step is to just make sure we're giving people as much information about the sodium content of their foods as possible," Sco said. Sco said sodium warnings on the front of packaged processed foods that contain excess sodium are expected to arrive in Canada in the next couple of years, which would help consumers make more informed choices. He said a national strategy for sodium reduction was created in 2010, but implementation has been "very slow." "That's why we really need population approaches, government approaches with regulations."įor years Campbell has been advocating for more government regulations around sodium in Canada. Norm Campbell, emeritus professor of medicine at the University of Calgary. WHO recommends mandatory regulationsĭespite our best efforts, however, it's tough to cut back on salt, said Dr. "Whether it's the breads that are part of our appetizer or dips, if there's sauces or gravies, try to ask for those on the side," Chabior said. When eating out, check the restaurant's website ahead of time to look at nutrition information, which most big chains provide, said Chabior.Īnd remember those hidden sources of sodium. It can be tricky to figure out how much you are getting in a day, she said, so Chabior recommends her patients use an online sodium tracker. "If it contains more than 15 per cent of the daily value, that means it's high in sodium." And when you see five per cent or less for sodium, that means the food is low in sodium," said Chabior. "The per cent daily value can tell you if there's a little or a lot of a nutrient in the food. When grocery shopping, experts recommend reading nutrition labels to see how much sodium is in a product and then choosing one with a smaller amount. So depending on someone's income or lifestyle, it might not be as feasible to cook more at home," Chabior said.īut swapping a salty snack like crackers or chips with a piece of fruit, unsalted nuts, or air-popped popcorn is a good first step, Sco said. "These processed foods tend to be usually a little bit cheaper, more affordable. Then there's also the amount of time and preparation that it takes to prepare healthy, home-cooked meals," said Sco. "There's the cost of food, which can be a barrier. Sco and Chabior acknowledged that cooking more whole foods at home can be challenging for some. Aromatics like ginger, garlic and onion.Acidic foods like vinegar and lemon juice.She recommends skipping the salt and adding these ingredients for flavour instead: The biggest tip from experts is to eat out less and cook at home using whole, unprocessed foods whenever you can.Ĭhabior advises focusing on whole fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, and unprocessed meat, poultry and fish. Knowing all the risks associated with consuming excess salt is one thing, but making changes to our diets can be challenging. And if you're drinking more sugar-sweetened beverages or calorie-containing beverages because you're eating more salt, that can also be a problem," said Sco. High blood pressure can also increase risk for stroke and kidney disease, said Sco. In 2020, almost 54,000 people died of heart disease in Canada, according to Statistics Canada. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is the most important risk factor for heart disease, said Sco, and heart disease is one of the main causes of death and disability in Canada. "They react by remolding, and becoming thicker and more tense, and then that increases your blood pressure in the long term," said Sco. Over time, blood vessels become stretched by this pressure. "So when we eat too much sodium it can cause extra fluid to be pulled into our blood vessels, and puts that extra pressure on our blood vessels." Sodium actually makes the body hold on to water, Chabior said. So I like to kind of call them sneaky sources of sodium because they're really unexpected," she added. "These foods don't actually taste very salty. It can be surprising to people that products such as breads, muffins and cookies are often high in salt. Soup, cheese, sauces and condiments are also big contributors to sodium in our diets, said Chabior. Mixed dishes include things like pizza, lasagna and frozen dinners. "The three key big categories of foods that contribute the most sodium to our diets are bakery products, mixed dishes and processed meats," Samantha Chabior, a registered dietitian in Toronto, told CBC's The Dose host Dr. (Bryan Eneas/CBC)īesides restaurant meals, many common processed foods we buy at the grocery store contain high amounts of sodium. Bread can be a sneaky source of sodium in our diets, says registered dietitian Samantha Chabior.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |