# Low Sodium Diet help



## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

The Rooster was in the hospital last week with blood clots and extreme swelling in both legs. He came home with orders for a low sodium, low fat, no caffiene or alcohol diet. The doctor was very adamant about the low sodium. The Rooster is really trying, but I am really struggling with the taste factor. He doesn't like herb flavors and after gall bladder surgery a few years ago, he can't tolerate the hot peppers that he loves or even much onion. He seems to be getting more sensitive to acidic foods and that isn't helping either. 

I need some ideas or recipes.


----------



## lazydaisy67 (Nov 24, 2011)

I am almost on the opposite side of the fence than you with the taste of salt. I don't like salty food at all. My mother had high blood pressure, so I grew up with no salt in food and a salt shaker on the table. I don't add salt when I'm cooking and with very few exceptions shake it on my food. Baked potato is about the only thing I can think of that I put salt on. In fact, my salt shaker broke about 6 months ago and I haven't gotten a new one, nor have I needed to. There are some salt substitutes out there. Mrs. Dash comes to mind. Garlic and onion powder add great flavors to foods as well. I kind of think if the flavors are stronger, you don't need salt to be able to enjoy the food. Keep an eye on food labels. You will be shocked at how much sodium food has in it!!! There's TONS of low sodium food out there too. YOU CAN DO THIS!!!


----------



## BillS (May 30, 2011)

LilRedHen said:


> The Rooster was in the hospital last week with blood clots and extreme swelling in both legs. He came home with orders for a low sodium, low fat, no caffiene or alcohol diet. The doctor was very adamant about the low sodium. The Rooster is really trying, but I am really struggling with the taste factor. He doesn't like herb flavors and after gall bladder surgery a few years ago, he can't tolerate the hot peppers that he loves or even much onion. He seems to be getting more sensitive to acidic foods and that isn't helping either.
> 
> I need some ideas or recipes.


It's going to take some time for him to get used to it. I don't think there are recipes that will help. Low salt tomato sauce tastes terrible at first and there isn't much you can do about that. Same with low salt vegetables. I know when I was first on my diabetic diet I couldn't stand diet pop but after awhile I got used to it and now I don't like the taste of regular pop.


----------



## kappydell (Nov 27, 2011)

the first thing i did to cut salt was to take 50% of salt out of shaker and replace it with no-salt. the mix helps kill the chemical taste of salt substitute. Then i slowly decreased the salt while adding more no-salt. the other thing we noted was that as long as the potassium to salt ration in any recipe was equal or more potassium than salt (4:1 is ideal, that is desired ratio in body) we could include a (very) few salty ingredients. The potassium sort of counteracted it. I am so sorry about the low salt diet. Unsalty eating is very hard to get used to. Ill dig out some of my low salt recipes for you. I did find the tomato products were hard to get used to, but the paste itself had a much better taste and became a major ingredient in low salt sauce & ketchup. A bit of sweetener (splenda does not get bitter with heat) helps counter the blandness. Tuna without salt was rough; still don't like it. Same with many cheeses. Sour cream, having a good potassium level, was a lifesaver. I was able to mix it 50-50 with plain yogurt before they came out with the nonfat type. Unsalted butter (used sparingly) was a nice treat. My husband hated unsalted popcorn, I learned to tolerate it. Before commercial versions of butter flavoring came out I found and started using butter extract and a little yellow food color in cooking (a good flavored fake goes a long way). (I still do, since those commercial products are so expensive.) Low and no-fat sour cream are tolerable to me, though. Lemon juice is a lifesaver, other processed lo-salt products require taste testing. I found the Mrs. Dash blends helpful. Have you learned to take your own and your husband's blood pressure yet? Its easy, you should learn ASAP so you can monitor his progress day to day. It will also help you tweak his diet.


----------



## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

It does take time for the taste buds to adjust.. 
Cutting out almost all premade/boxed/canned/highly processed foods will help. Even Sodas have anywhere from 30 to 75mgs of sodium in them.. the diet ones tend to have more sodium but I think it is due to the nature of the sugar-free stuff.
I see he is having problems after gallbladder surgery too. I had to change my diet completely after I had mine removed. The fats are where I get in trouble diet wise.. when your gall bladder isn't there to regulate the bile it causes all kind of troubles when you get too much fat in your system.
Plus my craving for sweets went way down after the surgery. 
Raw veggies tend to taste better low salt than cooked ones. I see that he isn't doing good with acids or I would suggest using lemon and lime wedges squeezed over the foods to give a "bright" to the taste to replace the salt. Or even a bit of raw apple cider vinegar.
My dad had many of the same problems... blood clots /high blood pressure/diverticulitis to name a few.. he hated the low salt diet.. but after a few weeks he said that the tastes of things were getting better. so hang in there.
Plus you should check with your hospital.. they do have dietitians who can help.. the one we consulted for Dad said that low sodium did not mean absolutely none.. just that instead of a shaker on the table or adding to the foods buy a box of the small salt packets and only allow one per meal.. That made Dad feel like he had been getting away with something and the small amount was okay on his diet.
And since you are not on a restricted diet.. just add a bit of salt into your portion while on the plate in the kitchen out of site if you don't want to feel like you are rubbing it in his face.. (so to speak) Lower salt now days isn't a bad thing-most of all the boxed/premade stuff is loaded with either salt-sugar-fats so that they taste good.. Don't even get me going on how many food additives are in those things that are really bad for the body. :gaah:while I do most things from scratch I do use a few boxed items from time to time.. I just don't rely on them any more.
And we are all here to give your day a boost if you need us!!!


----------



## lovetogrow (Jan 25, 2011)

This is an excellent resource LilRedHen - and the dash herbals are very good!

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf


----------



## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

lazydaisy67 said:


> I am almost on the opposite side of the fence than you with the taste of salt. I don't like salty food at all. My mother had high blood pressure, so I grew up with no salt in food and a salt shaker on the table. I don't add salt when I'm cooking and with very few exceptions shake it on my food. Baked potato is about the only thing I can think of that I put salt on. In fact, my salt shaker broke about 6 months ago and I haven't gotten a new one, nor have I needed to. There are some salt substitutes out there. Mrs. Dash comes to mind. Garlic and onion powder add great flavors to foods as well. I kind of think if the flavors are stronger, you don't need salt to be able to enjoy the food. Keep an eye on food labels. You will be shocked at how much sodium food has in it!!! There's TONS of low sodium food out there too. YOU CAN DO THIS!!!


I too grew up with a parent who had high blood pressure and using the salt shaker at the table on foods cooked from scratch with no salt, but that was a long time ago and the Rooster couldn't stand my cooking unless I added salt. Bad Bad Habit I got into. He hates Mrs. Dash, I've already tried 2 kinds this week. He also hates salt substitutes, but after putting 2 brands by his plate, he has finally settled on Morton's brand as being the lesser of 2 evils. I can't tolerate any kind of spicy foods, including garlic and onion (unless the onion is cooked). He doesn't particularly like garlic, but does like fresh onion.

I went to the grocery store yesterday and spent most of my time reading labels. I didn't come home with many groceries, just discouraged.

I love sweets and the salt thing is not nearly as hard for me as it is for him, but he doesn't care for sweets at all, just his salt shaker. I know this will be good for both of us, and almost anything that is good for you is not easy.


----------



## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

kappydell said:


> the first thing i did to cut salt was to take 75% of salt out of shaker and replace it with no-salt. the mix helps kill the chemical taste of salt substitute. Then i slowly decreased the salt while adding more no-salt. the other thing we noted was that as long as the potassium to salt ration in any recipe was equal or more potassium than salt (4:1 is ideal, that is desired ratio in body) we could include a (very) few salty ingredients. The potassium sort of counteracted it. I am so sorry about the low salt diet. Unsalty eating is very hard to get used to. Ill dig out some of my low salt recipes for you. I did find the tomato products were hard to get used to, but the paste itself had a much better taste and became a major ingredient in low salt sauce & ketchup. A bit of sweetener (splenda does not get bitter with heat) helps counter the blandness. Tuna without salt was rough; still don't like it. Same with many cheeses. Sour cream, having a good potassium level, was a lifesaver. I was able to mix it 50-50 with plain yogurt before they came out with the nonfat type. Unsalted butter (used sparingly) was a nice treat. My husband hated unsalted popcorn, I learned to tolerate it. Before commercial versions of butter flavoring came out I found and started using butter extract and a little yellow food color in cooking (a good flavored fake goes a long way). (I still do, since those commercial products are so expensive.) Low and no-fat sour cream are tolerable to me, though. Lemon juice is a lifesaver, other processed lo-salt products require taste testing. I found the Mrs. Dash blends helpful. Have you learned to take your own and your husband's blood pressure yet? Its easy, you should learn ASAP so you can monitor his progress day to day. It will also help you tweak his diet.


I offered to cut the salt with the substitute, but he was afraid to even try that. Do you make your own ketchup? I didn't know about the potassium levels, I'll try to be more aware of that. I know it is going to be a learning curve, but everyone's encouragement helps me a lot.

I've had a bp cuff for years and do check ours, although not every day.

Thanks for the offer of low salt recipes and kind words.


----------



## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

Emerald said:


> It does take time for the taste buds to adjust..
> Cutting out almost all premade/boxed/canned/highly processed foods will help. Even Sodas have anywhere from 30 to 75mgs of sodium in them.. the diet ones tend to have more sodium but I think it is due to the nature of the sugar-free stuff.
> I see he is having problems after gallbladder surgery too. I had to change my diet completely after I had mine removed. The fats are where I get in trouble diet wise.. when your gall bladder isn't there to regulate the bile it causes all kind of troubles when you get too much fat in your system.
> Plus my craving for sweets went way down after the surgery.
> ...


I switched him to Sierra Mist because it has no caffiene. It has 35mg of sodium. He drinks 1 or sometimes 2 a day. There is a ban in this house on diet drinks, I became allergic to aspartame several years ago and when he saw what those things did to me, he won't drink one either. I cook almost everything from scratch and in the summer veggies from the garden. Baking powder really shocked me, though.

You all have given me a boost; I really appreciate it.


----------



## Genevieve (Sep 21, 2009)

1) No Salt SUCKS! ugh, it SO bad *shivers* lol
2) Keep up with the herbs and spices. He just needs time but it will happen. He'll get used to it.
3) BIG thumbs up with the garlic and onion powder. I'm a big user.
4) SEA SALT. If you use salt just a little make it sea salt. It's somehow saltier than regular salt so you use less to begin with. It also has minerals in it so it's a plus.

Is it raw hot peppers that he can't tolerate? If it is, maybe you could cook them and they'd be better. They'd still have the taste but maybe not the hotness ( I don't do "hot spicy" so I don't know)
I know I can't tolerate raw onions but cooked are just fine for my stomach.

Caffeine is going to be hard. It's an addiction, so there will be headaches and temper tantrums,etc lol 
You can always go with herbal teas and decaf coffee. Be aware that sodas have loads of salt. Ginger-ale has the least amount.

I've been on a low salt/no salt diet for 15 years now.It took me a while to get used to it but now, I can taste the salt in everything. Bread, ice cream,sodas,cheeses,even certain candy bars.


----------



## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

LilRedHen said:


> I switched him to Sierra Mist because it has no caffiene. It has 35mg of sodium. He drinks 1 or sometimes 2 a day. There is a ban in this house on diet drinks, I became allergic to aspartame several years ago and when he saw what those things did to me, he won't drink one either. I cook almost everything from scratch and in the summer veggies from the garden. Baking powder really shocked me, though.
> 
> You all have given me a boost; I really appreciate it.


I am one of the ones who gets seizures from Nutrasweet.. darn near killed me.  my baking powder is Aluminum free stuff.. not much more expensive than regular

But here is {{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}} you will get thru it!


----------



## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

Salt is an acquired taste that one builds up a tolerance to. Getting rid of the acquired taste will take some time. Since we started canning our own soups, it's difficult to eat any commercially prepared soup. The salt is so overwhelming.


----------



## db2469 (Jun 11, 2012)

I strongly agree with those who recommended a salt sub...we use Nu Salt salt substitute...it's the closest in taste to regular salt among the brands we've tried...it's potassium chloride and counteracts the effects of sodium and will actually help lower blood pressure....potassium is also crucial for heart health in other ways...
DB


----------



## kappydell (Nov 27, 2011)

Yes, I have to make my own condiments. The store ones, when you can find them are pricey and either loaded with sugar or vinegar just to give them some flavor. I found recipes that are much better for the ones I missed most. The low salt catsup was most important, because catsup is an ingredient in other low-sodium fare. 

LOW SALT CATSUP FROM TOMATO PASTE (makes 1 quart)
three cans (6 oz each) tomato paste (no salt added)
4 cups water
1/2 c chopped onion
1/2 c chopped celery
1/2 c white vinegar
1/2 c sugar or sugar substitute equivalent
1 TB packed brown sugar substitute (I use Sugar Twin)
Combine in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a saucepan and add:
2 TB unsalted margarine
1 tsp molasses
1/8 tsp each: powdered cloves, cinnamon, tarragon powder, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and basil
Simmer uncovered 1 1/2 hours or until thick and reduced to half volume, stirring occasionally. Keep in refrigerator up to one month, otherwise freeze in small amounts (I use a cupcake tin) and defrost as needed. 
1 TB=10 calories, 4/10 gram fat, 1 mg sodium and 48 mg potassium 
I leave out the basil, I'm not a fan of it.

SWEET BALLPARK MUSTARD (This is Craig Clairborne's recipe developed when he had to go low-sodium) Makes 1 1/2 cups
1/4 c mustard seeds
1/4 c sugar
6 TB dry mustard powder
1/2 c finely minced onions
1 TB turneric
2 tsp minced garlic
`1 1/2 c boiling water
1/4 tsp each allspice and cloves
1/2 c white vinegar
1/2 c dry white wine (or water if you don't like the wine)
1 TB oil
Combine mustard seeds and powdered mustard, turmeric, vinegar and water in a small bowl and set aside 1 hour. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer 5 min. Pour heated mixture in a blender, add the soaked mustard mixture. Blend 2 minutes, then spoon and scrape into a double boiler. Cook and stir avbout 5 min, scraping sides of pot so it cooks evenly. Scrape into a mixing bowl, set out to cool at room temperature. When cool, then put into a closed jar in the refrigerator. This makes a yellow type American mustard; for european style mustard, omit the turmeric. 

NO SALT MIRACLE WHIP 
3/4 c flour
1 TB lemon juice
`1/2 c sugar
pinch salt substitute
1 c water
1/2 tsp prepared mustard
3/4 c vinegar
1 egg, plus water to make 1/2 c liquid
Cook flour, sugar, water and vinegar in double boiler. Combine remaining ingredients separately. When flour mixture is thick, drop by spoonfuls into the egg-oil mixture. Beat smooth with a hand mixer. Continue until all ingredients are mixed. Makes 3 1/4 cups.
1 TB = 2 mg sodium, 6.5 mg porassium

NO SALT ADDED TOMATO FRENCH DRESSING
1 c sugar or artificial sweetener equivalent
1 c oil
1/4 c vinegar
1 c no-salt catsup
2 TB chopped onions
1 TB yellow mustard
Combine, blend 1 minute in blender. 1 TB = 72 calories, 7 g fat, 7 mg sodium 25 mg potassium

NO SALT BUTTERMILK DRESSING (Small batch)
1/2 c lofat buttermilk
1 TB No Salt Miracle Whip
1/4 tsp dry dill weed
1/4 tsp dry parsley
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp pepper
Blend in blender until smooth; chill before serving. Makes 9 TB. 
1 TB = 13 cal, 21 mg potassium, 13 mg sodium

LOW SALT SPAGHETTI SAUCE FROM PASTE (Makes just over 3 cups)
1 TB dry onion flakes
1 TB parsley flakes
1 TB cornstarch
1 TB sweet pepper flakes (if you can find them)
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp dry garlic pieces
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp sage
1/4 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp oregano
(You may substitute 1 TB Italian Seasoning for the combine basil, thyme, sage, marjoram, and oregano. I do, its faster.) Combine the above ingredients. Set aside until you make up the sauce.
To make tomato sauce, combine 6 oz of tomato paste (1 can) and 2 1/2 cups water in a saucepan, whisking to get out all the lumps. Stir in the dry ingredients you had set aside. Bring to a boil while stirring. When it boils, lower heat and simmer until thick, stirring often. A good, cheap, fast sauce. 
1/2 cup sauce = 26 mg sodium and 320 mg potassium.


A LOW SALT CHUNKY TOMATO SAUCE FROM PASTE (2 cups)
6 oz tomato paste
2 TB water
1 c chopped onion
any other chopped vegetables you like to add to your sauce: celery, sweet peppers, garlic, olives, mushrooms, etc ; I like carrots, they add a certain sweetness)
2 c water or salt free broth or stock
1/2 tsp dry thyme
2 tsp flour, more or less
1 tsp sugar or sweetener
1/2 tsp dry basil
1 bay leaf
Simmer onion and chopped vegetables in the 2 TB water until soft. Add paste, cook and stir. When paste is smooth, sprinkle in flour, and stir again until smooth. Add remaining items. Simmer 1 hour, it will thicken. Remove the bay leaf. If you like it less chunky, remove bay leaf. With water and no extra vegetables, 1/2 cup – 14.4 mg sodium, 219 mg potassium, 40 calories

Sour cream has a much better sodium to potassium ratio than salted margarines or butter. It also has a good flavor, which helps a dieter feel less deprived; but if regular sour cream has too much fat to please the dietitians, this is a surprisingly good fake for cold salad dressings, and veggie dip.
12 oz unsalted (or at least rinsed and drained well) cottage cheese
1/2 c skim milk
1 TB lemon juice
1/4 tsp onion powder
Mix in blender until creamy; chill well before using. This only works in cold dishes, it breaks down in hot ones. 1 TB = 10 calories, 0 fat, 3 mg sodium and 8 mg potassium.

NO SALT SEASONING BLEND (not bad)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp each dry parsley, dill weed, dried savory leaves, onion powder, paprika and black pepper
1 tsp dry thyme leaves
1 TB each garlic powder and dry orange peel (I slice a regular orange thin, dehydrate the slices until crispy, and powder them in the blender instead – much cheaper and easier to find.) Combine in a blender and grind smooth. The orange adds a citrusy twang to it so please do not omit it.
If you can't dry slices in a dehydrator, they dry on cookie sheet or a pizza screen using the pilot light of your oven or a very low heat (180 degrees. Use 8 slices instead of the store bought orange peel. You can omit any of the other spices, but not the orange peel!

CHILI POWDER (4 tb)
3 TB paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper powdered
Who would have thought that chili powder has salt in it. Only the Mexene brand powder is just plain old powdered chilies, the others have other stuff in them (usually including salt). This blend can be varied to taste, the only 'required' ingredients are cayenne pepper and cumin. I like to use oregano instead of turmeric and add onion powder, myself.
SOUR SALT (powdered citric acid) Sour salt is a tasty seasoning that can be used instead of salt. It is a prime ingredient in lemon pepper blends, and acts like lemon juice, only it is powdered. I order it from my local pharmacy, some sausage-making supply stores carry it. Get a pound of it, it is an excellent salt-free addition to seasoning blends. 

TURKEY SAUSAGE PATTIES (low fat and low salt)
3/4 lb ground turkey
1/4 tsp each pepper, powdered basil, powdered oregano, rubbed sage
1/8 tsp each ground allspice, nutmeg, dill weed, garlic powder
1 egg white
2 TB water
Combine and mix very, very, well. Shape into 4 patties and cook until well done. For hot sausage, add 1/8 tsp Tabasco sauce. 1 patty = 43 mg sodium, 150 calories

REFRIGERATOR PICKLES (LOW SODIUM)
6 thin sliced cucumbers
1 1/2 c sugar or substitute
1/2 tsp celery seed
2 c thin sliced onions
1 clove garlic, halved
1 1/2 c white vinegar
1/2 tsp mustard seed
Combine vegetables. Bring remaining ingredients to a boil in saucepan. Pour over vegetables when boiling hot, and let marinate 24 hrs in refrigerator before using. 1/4 c pickles = 2 mg sodium

SOUTHWESTERN BBQ SAUCE FOR CHICKEN (low salt)
1 c low sodium catsup
2 TB vinegar
4 TB Worcestershire sauce
1 TB instant onion flakes
3 TB brown sugar substitute (Sweet & Low)
2 tsp BBQ seasoning from a store packet
Combine and simmer 10 min. Pour over a 2 1/2 lb or larger chicken, cut up into parts. Bake at 350 degrees 1 hour. 1/4 recipe = 203 mg sodium


OTHER WAYS TO REDUCE SALT WITHOUT GOING BROKE ON TASTELESS COMMERCIAL SUBSTITUTES

Rinsing processed foods seems like an obvious thing to do, and almost too simple to be true. It does indeed lower sodium; a Duke University study has proven it. Rinsing canned green beans for 1 minute lowered their sodium content by 41%; tuna rinsed 1 min. was lowered by 76% and cottage cheese lowered by 56%. That was 1 minute in a colander under running water. This is too handy a way to lower sodium without the ridiculous expense of special foods which are often no lower in sodium.
Finally, I have found documentation of a study proving that you can also lower the fat content of ground beef by rinsing browned ground beef in hot water. In fact, the Canadian study proves that plain, 'regular' ground beef (30% fat) becomes much lower in fat after rinsing than expensive ground round (7% fat) as well as lower in calories and cholesterol. So after you brown your hamburger for a casserole, drain it as usual, then put it in a colander and run HOT tap water into the greasy skillet. Dump out the skillet over the meat (this both cleans out excess fat from the skillet, and rinses the meat. Repeat one more time, let the meat drain in the colander then put it back in the skillet and continue with the recipe. For those who like the numbers, 4 oz of 'regular' hamburger, cooked and rinsed has 155 calories, 9 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, and 46 mg cholesterol. That is 15 fewer calories, 1 more gram total fat and 15 mg less cholesterol than that expensive 7% fat ground round. So what does it hurt to try it? I rinse off and dry my cooked hamburger patties, too – my husband loved the un-greasy burgers, and I don't have the added expense of purchasing ground round. (The info comes from the Journal of the 
American Dietetic Assoc, Nov 1992)

You get the basic idea, I think. Cook from scratch, and use strong-flavored herbs and sauces to make the food taste less bland. I find myself, that the stronger the flavor, the greater the satisfaction with the omission of salt. I hope you try these recipes and enjoy them; they are the things I found that helped the most in cooking low sodium style. The idea is not to make things taste like they have salt in them, but to find foods that you can fool yourself with just enough help to stay on the diet! Good luck, Im rooting for you. Dont forget to post any good recipes you find for the rest of us 'un-salties' in the world! PS - I didn't ask to change the salt for half no-salt, I just did it, and nobody even noticed! It was only noticeable when I got it down to less than 25% salt. Every little bit helps....!


----------



## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

kappydell said:


> Yes, I have to make my own condiments. The store ones, when you can find them are pricey and either loaded with sugar or vinegar just to give them some flavor.


Thank you so so much for the recipes. :2thumb: The store ones are very pricey and also hard to find. The people on this forum rock!


----------

