Please DON'T Pass the Salt!

The following is the weekly column which is posted in the YWN Health Section. (This column is written by Alan Freishtat)

Salt is found in almost everything we eat. It is most prominent in pickled and smoked items such as pickles, herring and delicatessen. Most canned items, particularly vegetables, are packed with massive amount of sodium, as are most processed and frozen foods. The salt you add at your table is on top of the salt already in your foods.

The FDA recommends no more than 1500 milligrams of salt daily for adults up to age 50 and less than that for people over 50. This is about 2/3 of a teaspoon. The average daily intake of salt in the United States stands at about 4,000 milligrams per day. Here are some tips to reduce your salt intake:

Read food labels and check their sodium content.

Try to opt for low-salt or no-salt versions of any particular food item.

Use other spices to flavor your foods such as pepper, cumin, garlic or others.

Eat more fresh whole foods instead of processed foods.

Limit your consumption of fast food and restaurant food.

Check out the AHA Low Salt Cookbook for 200 low salt recipes.

Alan Freishtat is an A.C.E. CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER and a LIFESTYLE FITNESS COACH with over 14 years of professional experience. He is the co-director of the Jerusalem-based weight loss and stress reduction center Lose It! along with Linda Holtz M.Sc. and is available for private consultations, assessments and personalized workout programs. Alan also lectures and gives seminars and workshops. He can be reached at 02-651-8502 or 050-555-7175, or by email at [email protected]

Check out the Lose It! website at http://www.loseit.co.il. US Line: 516-568-5027

(YWN Desk – NYC)

LINK To YWN Health Section http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news_cat.php?cat=12