Sodium everywhere

Why is it that fast food and food that requires very little preparation is always full of sodium? Examples: fast-food-chain food, instant soup, ramen noodles, . . . all full of sodium.

Soup naturally requires some salt, but why does instant soup require so much more salt than home-made soup? And why do ramen noodles supply 81% of the recommended daily dose?

Yeah, it's really frustrating for people like me who are medically salt sensitive due to hypertension.Have stopped eating at fast food chains ortaking instant soups,noodles,chips ad snacks that are packaged.Probably a good thing.Forced to prepare low salt meals most days from raw or fresh ingridents which can sometimes be a pain when busy at work or travelling.Requests for low salt meals at resturants or food stores are not always successful.

Yes, I was just thinking about that. I had my blood pressure taken yesterday and it was on the high side. I'm amazed at how much sodium is in any processed food, not just fast food either....even at a nice bistro they don't care, it's all about taste.

Even healthier lines like Amy's vegetarian foods have a ton of salt. I really don't get it.

#2.Exactly what happened to me two days ago after an enjoyable tasty meal of smoked sausages and saurkraut at a nice German resturant.The bloody blood pressure shot up to 180/97 yesterday morning but fortunately now down to 150/90 today after increased medication and a day of almost totally salt free diet.What a bloody pain!

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<hr>why does instant soup require so much more salt than home-made soup?<hr></blockquote>
To make it taste better.

Yeah, mine changed within the course of an hour. I went for a routine checkup at my dentist and they take your BP reading as a matter of course and the first one was 140/82 and the second one was 122/80.

I don't know what to believe. How coud it fluctuate that much in an hour?

does the salt maybe act as some sort of preservative? I have no idea.

Interesting. I know nothing about blood pressures, but is it correct to infer from your examples here that salt influences the first number (systolic pressure) but not (or not so much) the second?

#3 -- Do you have to measure this every day? What is the normal range of fluctuations?

Manch: Some people have "white coat" blood pressure; when they see someone in a white coat approaching (a doctor, for example), their pressure rises.

Mine is usually within the lower limits of normal, but every time I have had any kind of medical procedure for which I am not anesthetized, the nurse checking my blood pressure beforehand will comment on its being high. In most cases it is back to normal by the time the procedure is over.

Here's an excerpt from Amy's Website. I really like their products BTW, but have wondered why the sodium is so high.....

Q. Why is there so much fat and sodium in some your products?

A. Amy's Kitchen tries to minimize the amount of fat and sodium in all our products, but we also want the products to taste the very best they can to the large majority of Amy's customers. So, although some of Amy's products are acceptable to many who are generally trying to cut down on fat and sodium, they are not intended specifically as medical foods. Amy's customers should read the labels carefully and make their own decisions regarding the use of Amy's products as part of their overall diet plan.

Yeah, that's true NA. My aunt's a nurse and took my BP when I was at her house unwinding on the weekend and it was fine. She said the same thing, that it's the stress of being in a Dr's office........and let's face it, it's not an inviting atmosphere. The hum of fluorescent lights and the sterile surroundings aren't conducive to relaxation.

It's high, but not as high as many other things. I've never tried anything of Amy's, so I don't know how salty they taste, but my roommates have quite a collection of Amy's products in the freezer. In comparison, they seem to be low in sodium: 27-35 % for the stuff my roommates have, for ~700-calorie meals. Assuming an average diet of 2000-2500 calories/day, that's not an extraordinary amount of sodium, is it?

#5,#7.Yes,have to take bp measurement at least once a day usually just after getting up in the morning to check if additonal medication is required apart from the usual daily dosage.To complicate matters have to keep a check on blood sugar and sugar and carbohydrate consumption as well due to diabetes.It really is a bore as I adore yummy food from all over the world.
#5.Yea.Blood pressure can vary quite drastically within an hour.

I've heard that salt & sugar are so high in processed food because they are the cheapest preservatives available.

Yeah, overall Amy's is better than the food most people would prepare for themselves and they've introduced lower sodium products. I can't even taste the difference, it's the same with most low salt items. You don't really miss the salt.

Trib, do you use low sodium seasonings like Mrs. Dash?

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<hr>Have stopped eating at fast food chains or taking instant soups, noodles, chips ad snacks that are packaged ... Forced to prepare low salt meals most days from raw or fresh ingredents <hr></blockquote>I don't actually see a problem with that. It's how I eat normally anyway.

#15 Me, too. Don't you feel great?

Actually, not everyone responds to salt with an increase in blood pressure. There is a whole thing called "salt sensitivity," defined as "an increase in blood pressure in response to increased sodium ingestion and/or a decrease in blood pressure when sodium intake is reduced." In general, fewer than 50% of people respond to a high salt diet by getting high blood pressure. Salt sensitivity, in the US at least, is more prevalent among African Americans, older persons, and individuals with renal insufficiency or diabetes.

It's not too bad having to prepare low salt/sugar daily diet when there is time and when one is at home but the problem is when you are busy at work,eating in unfamiliar resturants or hawker's food especially when travelling.Tend to consume a lots of tropical fruits,including on rare occassions durians which unfortunately is almost pure carbohydrates and sugar.Trouble is most tropical fruits that are easily or readily available are usually too sweet with high sugar content and tart tasting fruits are not favoured by locals in the tropics.
#14.No,have not yet tried Mrs Dash.Will look out for it.Thanks.

"medically" salt sensitive due to hypertension? Is that to differentiate you from people who are just fussy and salt sensitve due to hypertension?

Hmm.. Interesting. On a branch about cooking complaints about the ingredients of food that is already cooked for you. OP my kitchen contains salt, sugar, oil, and MSG, it's up to me how much I wish to put in my food.

Although it often is about cooking, I don't think this branch ever claimed to be just about cooking.

Its sub title is "fill up on food talk" and as its on a travel site its mostly about food around the world. I'd hazard a guess that most people eat "out" when travelling as they don't have a place to cook.

But well done for not eating out much and doing a lot of cooking.

#20 -- This isn't a branch about cooking, it is a branch about getting stuffed. How you do that is up to you.

I'm not saying that pre-cooked food is so fantastic. What's good about it is that it's quick and easy at times when you don't have time to cook, and often (e.g. in the case of Ramen noodles) even cheaper than anything you (or I, anyway) could make yourself. If they weren't full of sodium, I'd eat Ramen all the time.

oops, sorry, I see now, get stuffed, not get cooking.

I'm just not used to eating food at restaurants or to go food much. (sometimes Micky Dees for burger and fries but we know that doesn't have much salt ;-))

Lately Walmart carries my Ma Ma tom yung koong style raman from Thailand so I have been eating that. Some of those asian rammens have things in separate packets so you can leave out the salt or the hot peppers or the oil, or all three, but then they are no fun right?

When I was a young guy I heard that salt was somehow bad for you and I just stopped buying or using it. My food tasted the same, (terrible) now that I'm older it gets used.

Don't know what the answer is shilgia. Use drugs I guess, Lisinopril works well.

Thanks, somsai. Well, actually, I don't have a problem with high blood pressure. (More the opposite, actually.) It's just that excess sodium is (I'm told) not very healthy even for people who aren't in cardiovascular risk categories.

I'm a student, which means I don't have time and I don't have money, and so the appeal of ramen etc. is great. But unfortunately it's not healthy to survive on that kind of junk. You're right that it's possible to leave out the condiments packets.

I try to minimize salt, too. The processed foods are loaded with salt because, as already mentioned, it's a preservative (US usage), and second, it's a lot cheaper that real herbs and spices. At least there's salt content on the labels now. Many brands now feature low-salt or reduced-salt versions of some of their most popular items, due to consumer demand. There are low-salt Progresso soups; there's a line called Healthy Choice. Generally you need to read labels like mad.

Head for the salad bars in supermarkets to get unprocessed food. They're great for one person, because you don't have to get a whole bag of everything to rot in your refrigerator.

Hm, so far I've steered clear of the salad bars because they are outrageously expensive. But it's true that I end up picking rotten spinach leaves out of the bag after a few days before eating the rest. Or, after periods of throwing out too much food, go without vegetables for weeks in repentance and fear of having to throw out more. So maybe that's not the best strategy. (I'm sure you think I'm a caveman now.)

Re: the seasoning packets in ramen. Since ramen is one of those foods that, as shilgia points out, are made to order for those lacking time &/or money, we've all eaten it, & will probably eat it again.
It used to be a lifesaver for me when I had to work late. However, I believe I got much less sodium per serving because I added a good deal more water than called for, & ate it as more of a soup than a noodle dish. "Over-watered" ramen with some green onions & a few drops of sesame oil, plus a little hot (spicy) vinegar is actually quite good. You can further trick it out with a few slivered greens, beaten egg, leftover meat, etc.

salt, as mentioned previously is both a taste enhancer and a preservative. In restaurants, they put a lot of salt in food to make you thirsty, too. (maybe not everywhere... I am not generalising here)

both my bf and myself work full time. We're not usually home before 19h Monday to Friday, yet we manage to cook every night and prepare meals in about 30 minutes (max. 45 minutes) with fresh food.

the ice compartment is too small to hold much frozen food and we cannot afford ready-made/take-away, etc each to their own, though.

"we cannot afford ready-made/take-away" -- Many of these ready-made things actually work out cheaper than anything made from scratch with supermarket ingredients. (This probably does not apply if you can buy your ingredients in bulk, or if market food is cheap where you are.)

With all due respect, auntieannie ~~ people who already know how to cook can & do come home from work & put together a nice meal. However, many people simply have never had a chance to cook before they're thrown out on their own. This wouldn't be just students, but also recently divorced people whose partners had been the house cooks.
There is also the factor of scheduling. A couple with busy schedules can at least trade off shopping, cooking, & clean-up duties. A person with a full-up schedule who lives alone doesn't always have the luxury of leisurely food marketing time. And I think we'll all agree that better meals result when people are able to relax & think ahead while food shopping.
So, in all fairness, many people eating ready-made, take-away, etc. would much prefer home-cooked, if it were only possible for them.

Regarding ramen I've seen many families use one package as the main course for dinner, mixed with lots of vegetables and if lucky an egg or some tiny fish and used to wash down the rice that is the main source of calories. Ever seen six hungry kids eat one small ramen?

Re length of time to prepare foods it has been such a constant for all of my adult life that I can't imagine else wise. I started out cooking horidly, I like to think things have improved. Often many foods can be eaten while preparing the other parts. Some of the cabbage or greens raw, then the bones from the meat thrown into water to form the base for soup and by then the rice is cooked to go with the main thing. Almost never eat without a salad, a fresh soup, and something with rice. Two pots, and a bowl. Hardly think ahead just buy stuff and eat it until it's gone. Same basic stuff in the fridge or the garden. Leftovers in tupperware for lunch, maybe fresh rice. I think 8 out of 10 people in the world eat in a similar fashion.

Rice costs 50 cents a kilo.

Some excellent posts here and #31 has a point-ever wonder why people in some countries are so tiny?

Because they eat very very little as children that's why.

"Ever seen six hungry kids eat one small ramen?"

John Mellencamp-"I've seen people throw more than this out"-'Jackie Brown'.

BTW-the reason there's so much salt is easy-Salt concentrated flavour.

OP, I apologise for my uncalled for post earlier.

Thanks, Chrisyboy. You didn't offend me; maybe tribolite.

bixaorellana, thanks for your support. I don't deserve it: in 10 years I should really have learned how to be a more flexible cook. I didn't use to be like this, but my sorry excuse is that I moved to a new country, can't find the simple things that had become part of my repertory, and I suddenly have to share a very small kitchen and fridge with two other people, which takes some getting used to. For example, I used to make thick soups that would provide food for almost a week. I can't do that here: can't claim the only big pot we have for a full week, and can't stuff more than my share of the fridge.

I finally figured out what your name means, by the way, or rather, where to insert the space. It looked like Maltese before!

shilgia, your excuse isn't sorry. Other things in life interfere with cooking.

Do you have very much freezer space? I live alone & also make big pots of food, which I then transfer to one-quart yoghurt containers & freeze. (be sure to label -- ha ha) Yoghurt itself is a food of which I'm very fond (plain) and it saves going out to buy containers.

I think when I signed up for TT, either there was no option for having a two word name, or I didn't know how to do it. Now that you know where to separate the two parts, you can cut it down when you address me. Too bad I'm not a particularly cute person -- I could be Bixie! What does Maltese look like?

I am curious now, where is the gap, what does it mean?!

As I said, I do not wish to criticise anyone.

I moved to England two years ago and lived in a shared house for the first time ever, using gas oven and gas hob for the first time as well. Took well to gas hob, but soooo happy I have now moved to a small flat with my bf and we have an electric oven.

OK, I've been lucky, I had ten years of practising making my own food before and can be confident now (only now)

I also wish to mention that outside working hours, I organise events for various organisations, have a social life, and am a moderator elsewhere on the net. I'm fine thank you.

I must say that i simply cannot get excited about ready-made food, certainly because I was so lucky to have been brought up with mom cooking every meal.

bon appetit... whatever your plate holds.

So just what is a 'hob' anyway-you mean a gas fired stove?

I suppose so? stove top? where you have the gas "rings" and you cook with pans? I only learnt the word moving here. sorry.

#35 -- Actually, Maltese looks much stranger. I was thrown off by the "x". (Maltese has relatively many of them, including double ones, as e.g. in the screen name of SiT poster boxxla. A Maltese "x" sounds like "sh".)

auntieannie, I don't think anyone suggested that you are not busy. But bixa said that when living as a couple, even if both lead busy lives, one can at least split some of the chores. You don't agree?

I do, Shilgia, I do! .. sorry... knackered tonight. I must say that without my bf's full support, I would not have been able to organise an event that took place this summer... and took a group of us months to organise. Good man did the cooking AND washing-up most nights.

Briddish 'Hob'

hihi! sometimes... it feels like that, cardamom.

tilly star, I have many gaps, but the one in my screen name is thus: Bixa orellana.
Read all about me here, & see how pretty I am -- even slightly obscene looking! Bixa orellana

shilgia, Maltese is indeed strange. It looks like a cross (snicker) between Italian & that fake Eastern European language always featured in the TV version of Mission Impossible. I thought it would be much closer to standard Italian.