Recipes that use low sodium foods and ingredients

Sodium chloride or common salt is needed by the body to function well. Excessive consumption of salt, however, can lead to diseases and medical problems such as kidney troubles, high blood pressure, oedema, and lung disorders. Learn how to reduce sodium intake and to include the right amount of salt in the diet.

Reducing and balancing sodium intake

Overview
Sodium provides the balance between muscle and nerve functioning in the body. It is taken by consuming food and drinks that contain the mineral.
Sodium is eliminated through perspiration and urine. The sources of this mineral are table salt, beef, pork, cheese, olives, sardines, anchovies, and potato chips. Canned and processed food also contains sodium. An individual should consume at least 1000 milligrams of sodium per day and it should not exceed more than 2400 milligrams. Meal plans
Meal plans should incorporate the right amount of sodium to maintain a healthy weight diet.
A low salt diet is recommended for people with high blood pressure, kidney problems and diabetes. Reading labels for salt content is an effective means of calculating intakes.
Using salt substitutes and low sodium products help in controlling salt in health diets.
To help in lowering overall salt levels in the body, food plans should include fresh ingredients as much as possible and avoid the use of processed ones.

Low sodium soup recipe

Preparing home made soups using fresh ingredients is one of the ways to lower sodium consumption. You can control the amount of salt you put in them.
Minestrone soup
Minestrone is a soup that is low in salt.
It contains no processed or canned ingredients and makes a light but healthy soup.
Bouillon or beef cubes are purposely taken out in this recipe to reduce sodium content. Ingredients
6 stalks of celery
2 carrots
2 ripe tomatoes
1/2 head of cauliflower
1 medium onion
1 clove of garlic
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Pepper and thyme for seasoning
Low-fat cheese or grated Parmesan
Few grains of pasta (optional) Instructions
1. Wash all vegetables. Peel the carrots and cut into cubes.
2. Peel the hard skin of the celery stalks and slice them horizontally.
3. Cut the cauliflower into smaller pieces making sure that the hard part at the bottom of the stem is removed.
4. Chop onions, garlic, and tomatoes.
5. Heat olive oil in a pot. Add the chopped onions, garlic, and tomatoes.
6. Fry until golden brown.
7. Add the carrots, celery and cauliflower.
8. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 to 30 minutes.
9. Season with pepper and thyme. Add a dash of salt.
10. Serve with low-fat cheese and pieces of toasted whole bread. Final word
This recipe is good for 4-6 servings.