Hide from hidden sodium
Snack attack? Take cover. The perils of eating too much salt are many
If you’re watching your sodium intake, you’re probably making some obvious choices. You’re switching to unsalted nuts and chips and substituting herbs and spices for salt. You may be cutting back on processed items, since most sodium in the diet comes from processed food or restaurant meals, according to health experts.
However, you may be surprised at some sources of sodium.
Take cheese, for example.
“People may think cheese is high in fat but aren’t conscious that it’s high in sodium,” says Dr. Martha Gulati, director of preventative cardiology and women’s vascular health at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
An ounce of blue cheese has 395 milligrams of sodium, almost three times the amount found in the same weight of salted potato chips (136 milligrams per ounce).
Condiments are also provide more sodium than you might assume.
Catsup and mustard both have about 150 milligrams per tablespoon; soy sauce has a whopping 879 milligrams per tablespoon.
Instead of using store-bought condiments, pair snack foods with homemade salsa, dips made with no-salt-added canned beans or a sprinkling of fruity vinegar instead of mustard or soy sauce.
Poppy Seed Crackers (Adapted from “Salty Snacks”)
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
1/4 cup poppy seeds
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt or flaky or coarse sea salt
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
Stir together flour, poppy seeds, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Make a well in the center. Add water and oil and stir to form dough. If necessary, knead 2 or 3 times for dough to stick together. Don’t overwork. Cut dough into 4 equal portions.
Roll out dough, one portion at a time, to 1/16-inch thick sheet. Lightly dust with flour if dough is sticky. Cut dough into strips 2 or 3 inches wide, and across into 2-inch pieces. Arrange, not touching, on baking sheet. Bake until crackers are lightly browned and crisp, about 12 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool. Continue with remaining dough.
Serve immediately or store crackers in an airtight container up to one week.
Makes about 6 dozen crackers; 32 servings.
Each 2-cracker serving has: 44 calories; 2 grams total fat; 0.9 grams protein; 5.5 grams carbohydrates; 92 milligrams sodium and 0.4 grams dietary fiber.
© CTW Features
