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Healthy eating tip 9: Limit sugar and salt

If you succeed in planning your diet around fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and good fats, you may find yourself naturally cutting back on foods that can get in the way of your healthy diet—sugar and salt.

Sugar

Sugar causes energy ups and downs and can add to health and weight problems. Unfortunately, reducing the amount of candy, cakes, and desserts we eat is only part of the solution. Often you may not even be aware of the amount of sugar you’re consuming each day. Large amounts of added sugar can be hidden in foods such as bread, canned soups and vegetables, pasta sauce, margarine, instant mashed potatoes, frozen dinners, fast food, soy sauce, and ketchup. Here are some tips:

§  Avoid sugary drinks. One 12-oz soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar in it, more than the daily recommended limit! Try sparkling water with lemon or a splash of fruit juice.

§  Sweeten foods yourself. Buy unsweetened iced tea, plain yogurt, or unflavored oatmeal, for example, and add sweetener (or fruit) yourself. You’re likely to add far less sweetener than the manufacturer would have.

§  Eat naturally sweet food such as
fruit, peppers, or natural peanut butter to satisfy your sweet tooth. Keep these foods handy instead of candy or cookies.

How sugar is hidden on food labels

Check food labels carefully. Sugar is often disguised using terms such as:

§  cane sugar or maple syrup §  corn sweetener or corn syrup §  honey or molasses §  brown rice syrup

§  crystallized or evaporated cane juice §  fruit juice concentrates, such as apple or pear §  maltodextrin (or dextrin) §  Dextrose, Fructose, Glucose, Maltose, or Sucrose

Salt

Most of us consume too much salt in our diets. Eating too much salt can cause high blood pressure and lead to other health problems. Try to limit sodium intake to 1,500 to 2,300 mg per day, the equivalent of one teaspoon of salt.

§  Avoid processed or pre-packaged foods. Processed foods like canned soups or frozen dinners contain hidden sodium that quickly surpasses the recommended limit.

§  Be careful when eating out. Most restaurant and fast food meals are loaded with sodium.

§  Opt for fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned vegetables.

§  Cut back on salty snacks such as potato chips, nuts, and pretzels.

§  Choose low-salt or reduced-sodium products.

§  Try slowly reducing the salt in your diet to give your taste buds time to adjust.

Authors: Maya W. Paul, Melinda Smith, M.A. and Jeanne Segal Ph. D.