One of the ironies about living in one of the most prosperous nations in the world is the large amounts of unhealthy food that consumers eat, particularly in restaurants. Sodium is one of the primary culprits in the American diet; the amount of sodium in the food that we are served in restaurants can cause high blood pressure and can lead to kidney stones and other disorders. However, in addition to the restaurants and factories that pack entrees and prepared foods with sodium, there are also plenty of sources for food with moderate and even low sodium for Americans to consume. In the United States, consumers take in too much sodium in many of the foods that they eat; however, there are many sources for foods with healthy levels of sodium.
Many restaurants load their food with sodium, to the point where an adult-sized entrée contains enough of it to last three or four days, at least according to the standards put in place by the USDA. McDonald’s, Burger King, and other fast food outlets are notorious for this, sprinkling salt all over their French fries and other fried products. However, it is not just the fast food chains that do this. Many mid-level restaurants also coat their food in sodium, hoping to drive up the number of drinks that customers order. This might backfire when the beverages come with free refills, but when they are alcoholic, they can add significantly to a restaurant’s bottom line. This is why you will find beer nuts, pretzels, and chips at a bar – but you will almost never find apples or carrots. The effects on health can include high blood pressure, among other disorders.
Foods that have only moderate levels of sodium can be just as tasty without sending your heart into distress because of the elevation in blood pressure. Many of the same restaurants that offer sodium-packed options such as quesadillas and chips with queso also offer entrees with lower levels of sodium. Choosing side items such as fresh or steamed vegetables, fruit, or even rice can bring the total sodium count of a dinner down significantly. Choosing French fries, onion rings, or other fried items can keep that sodium up at an unhealthy level.
There are entrée options at restaurants that are lower in sodium as well. These choices will be much kinder to your heart – and also to your overall health. Many restaurants have information right on the menu about the levels of calories and sodium in their entrees – particularly for choices that are low in either (or both). If you stay away from fried or breaded items, and if you stay away from foods that have been prepared in butter (which are usually also prepared in salt), you will find yourself with a lower sodium level. Choose grilled chicken instead of breaded; meat prepared in olive oil rather than butter; grilled or baked fish rather than blackened. All of these choices will lower your sodium intake.
There are too many restaurants and other food outlets in the United States that pack their wares with so much sodium that, if one eats there regularly, negative health effects could easily ensue. By making some simple choices, one can change consumption levels to moderate, or even low, sodium intake.
