Sneaky Sodium - CulinArt Group

Eat Well Blog

Sneaky Sodium

We all know sodium is something to keep a close eye on whether you are living a healthy lifestyle or managing a condition. Too much sodium has been linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, and kidney disease. It’s important that we monitor our intake, but not cut sodium out completely because it is still needed for many normal body functions including fluid balance, muscle contractions and nerve impulses.

The amount of sodium in our food can add up pretty quickly. It can sneak its way into certain ingredients and even vegetables! Some common sources of hidden salt include:

  • Frozen or pre-packaged meals
  • Breakfast and deli meats
  • Most cheeses
  • Breads and cereals
  • Condiments, sauces, and dressings
  • Packaged snacks
  • Canned, cured, pickled, or smoked foods
  • Low-fat and fat-free foods
  • Be on the lookout for ingredients like MSG, baking soda, and baking powder as these all contain sodium as well

Sodium is a naturally occurring element found in many foods, which is why when you add salt to a recipe, the sodium numbers increase quickly. Have you ever seen “reduced sodium” or “low sodium” written on a packaged product? Here is what they mean:

  • Salt/Sodium Free: less than 5mg per serving
  • Very Low Sodium: 35mg or less per serving
  • Low Sodium: 140mg or less per serving
  • Reduced Sodium: at least 25% less sodium compared to the regular product
  • Light in Sodium or Lightly Salted: at least 50% less sodium compared to the regular product
  • No Salt Added or Unsalted: no salt is added during processing, but this does not mean these products are salt/sodium free unless stated

All in all, salt is still salt. Regardless if you use the white grains in a salt shaker or grind up pink Himalayan salt, it’s all still salt. Be mindful of how much you sprinkle on your food. Try swapping out the salt for these fresh flavors!

  • Season foods with dried spices like garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, or pepper
  • Add a burst of flavor with fresh herbs like basil, cilantro, rosemary, or thyme
  • Give your dish some zest with citrus flavors like lime, lemon, grapefruit, or orange
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  • February 27, 2019

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What our clients are saying

“What a wonderful dinner we had tonight for our international families. The food was delicious and well presented as well.”

“Thank you for including me today in the food waste demonstration/[chef competition] and flattering me with the role of “judge.” I will proudly don the [Stop Food Waste Day] apron the next time I plan an “event” in our own kitchen. I think this is a very worthwhile cause and the statistics you read off are staggering. They, alone, can intimidate a home chef, let alone be the “driver’ for a professional one.”

“Thank you and your staff for all the care and thought you give CSW adults and students. You approach events with such care and elegance- I don’t know how you do it! Especially day after day. Please thank all your staff for their wonderful work and kind manner with all of us. Here is to a great year!”

“Many, and I do mean many, thanks for a great Parents Weekend.  I heard from so many happy parents and you all work very hard to make it happen.  In gratitude and kindness…”

“We are so thankful and so impressed by your immediate attention to our power outage. It was such a relief to see all the equipment and workers coming in within a few hours of the outage. Thank you for serving dinner to all [the] students in a very difficult circumstance. Please extend our thanks to your workers who braved cold weather to grill hamburgers and hotdogs.”

“With all the prep work from Winterim ramping up and classes continuing as usual, it's a busy time to be a Forman teacher. Imagine my delight, tired as I was, when I delved into the upscale-restaurant-quality chicken parmesan our dining hall served last night. Forman is all about support, and providing our students with a dinner of that quality is just as important a measure of support as anything that happens in a classroom.”

“I can’t thank your entire team enough for the outstanding service, food, displays, everything!  You are a master at detail, and because of that Adam and I were able to focus on the parents.  I know what a sacrifice pulling off a weekend like this means, we are so appreciative and grateful to you all for your talent and generosity.”

“I ALWAYS feel spoiled by the meal offerings at CSW (The Cambridge School of Weston) and am entirely grateful for it. As I eat today's delicious and lavish lunch (and think about yesterday's as well), I can't tell you how much I feel so well cared for here, both with the food and by the dining hall staff. CSW cares for us in so many ways, both big and small.”

“Thank You! Chef Budd [and team], you overcame a new online ordering system (and hundreds of labels daily!), provided creative and healthy menus, continued to connect with local farmers to incorporate locally sourced ingredients, and worked tirelessly to serve the school community on three campuses.  While it feels like you are all a little like the Wizard of Oz right now, working behind a curtain in a kitchen far away, we sense your smiles and your passion to deliver the best possible service during these trying times. We are all so grateful!”

“I will say that CulinArt has always been a very collaborative partner to T. Rowe Price, listening to our current needs and future goals and suggesting realistic and achievable strategies to meet those goals.  2020 was obviously no exception.  CulinArt also altered other areas of our OCS and pantry programs to create safer environments for all our associates. We can only thank you for your continued flexibility and innovative ideas through these difficult times.”

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